For the Greater Good: Choices
by Andrew Munoz
Summary: Kyuubi no Yoko made his choice, one that would forever alter the destiny of the world. But, in choosing a symbiotic existence with Uzumaki Naruto, has the bijuu simply traded one hell for another? NarutoxHinata
1. Prologue: I Am Hated

**Prologue: "I Am Hated"**

"_The whole world is my enemy - and I'm a walking target_

_Two times the devil with all the significance_

_Dragged and raped for the love of a mob…"_

_I Am Hated _by Slipknot

* * *

A little boy ran down one of the many dusty roads that crisscrossed his village. If any of the villagers had bothered to take a second glance at the boy, they might have noticed the tears streaming down his face and the golden object he clutched protectively to his chest.

If they had bothered.

Used to the villagers' disregard (at least it was better than when they decided to take notice of him… cruel words and brutal beatings usually ensued), the young boy kept up his pace. If he dared to slow down it was highly likely that the three Academy students currently in pursuit of him would catch up and finish what they started.

The boy didn't even understand what he had done wrong… all he had been doing was sitting in the park, talking to Shorai-chan. Out of nowhere, the three older boys came up to him and asked to see Shorai-chan. The little boy was only five years old; as such his entire world consisted of the park near his apartment, his apartment, and Shorai-chan… a moderately sized clay figurine resembling a golden colored koi fish.

Needless to say, the little boy was protective of his best friend. So when the young boy asked the older students what they intended to do with Shorai-chan, the boys laughed and attempted to take Shorai-chan. What they weren't expecting, however, was for the little boy to hold on to the simple figurine with all the might his tiny self could muster.

The ensuing struggle resulted in Shorai-chan slipping out of both parties' grasps and shattering his left fin on the park's sidewalk. In his shock, the little boy did the only thing he could think of: he scooped up Shorai-chan and all of the pieces he could find and barreled through the three boys, knocking them over.

The little boy ran as fast as he could, frantically searching for someone who could fix Shorai-chan… and hopefully protect him from the bullies' retribution. For the most part, the little boy's cries of "Help!" fell on deaf ears, but every so often he would hear one of the villagers shout "He went that way!"

"_Why aren't they helping me? I didn't do anything wrong… I just wanted to protect Shorai-chan!"_

But then the boy saw it, a large wooden sign depicting a black, five-pointed shuriken was hanging over the entrance to a moderately sized weapons shop. The little boy had spent many days watching shinobi go in and out of the store. He knew enough to deduce that it was one of the finer weapon shops in the village.

"_If they can make all of those metal weapons… then they can fix Shorai-chan!" _The boy thought hopefully as he swung the door open and ran inside.

A little girl looked up from her position at the cash register when she heard the shop's door open. "Welcome to Hoshinogo Weapon Shop! May I- hey, are you okay!?" The little girl was surprised when instead of a ninja, she saw a boy her age run up to the counter she currently sat at.

"Can you fix him?" The boy asked as he held his broken figurine in front of her.

The girl was taken aback by the boy's tear stained cheeks. "Hey, why are you crying? Is it because of your fish?"

"Please! Can you fix Shorai-chan?" The boy asked earnestly… he could see the older boys through the shop's window, they were searching every shop on the street.

"Um… Its fin is broken into so many pieces… I don't think you can put it back together…" the girl's prognosis elicited fresh tears from the boy, "Wait! Please don't cry… maybe my dad can fix it… he's the best blacksmith in the village… I'll go find him!"

Unfortunately, the three Academy students were making their way to the weapon shop; the boy was out of time.

"It's too late, the bullies are already coming to get me," the boy stated fearfully. Guilt was now settling over him as he realized that he had dragged the little girl into his mess. For some reason that he did not understand, the girl was nice to him… nice enough for the boy to protect her. Whatever happened, the boy knew he must keep the girl safe. If she tried to help, the bullies might hit her too… the boy would stop that from happening.

"When those bullies come in… you gotta act like you hate me so that they'll leave you alone," the boy instructed.

"Why? I don't hate you… I thought maybe we could be friends… I don't have many friends…" The girl said quietly.

"Please! They might hurt you… if you really wanna be friends, let me handle the bullies… and… and you can take care of Shorai-chan! Take care of him for me, and I'll come back for him!"

"Do you promise?"

"I swear!" The boy said as he pushed Shorai-chan further towards the girl.

The girl placed the broken fish under the counter just as the door swung open and three boys walked in.

"There he is!" The largest of the group shouted as he stepped aside to allow his friend to confront the little girl's new friend.

A boy with black hair and brown eyes walked forward. "Look at what we have here… the demon brat has resorted to terrifying little girls."

The boy flinched at the way the bully spat out the word "demon," it was said with enough conviction to make anyone second guess their humanity.

The "leader" nodded towards the young boy and his two friends quickly moved forward and grabbed him by the arms. "Don't worry 'Buns,'" the boy said with a glance at the girl's hair, "we'll take care of him… he'll get what he deserves."

The little girl could only watch as the bullies dragged the young boy out of the shop, the boy mouthing a silent "thank you" as he resigned himself to his fate.

The girl attempted to give him a reassuring smile, but failed to do so before his head disappeared around the corner… his sun-kissed blond hair the last thing she saw of him.

* * *

Naruto was scared. The bullies had taken him to a back alley far from the main street.

"Hold him," the leader ordered.

Eager to begin, the other two students grabbed Naruto and slammed him against the side of the building.

"Please… please don't do this… I'm sorry…"

The leader looked thoughtfully at Naruto before speaking softly. "No… you don't even know what to be sorry for, _demon_. Do you know why we hate you… do you know why the whole village shuns you…" The boy grabbed Naruto by the neck and looked him in the eye, "DO YOU KNOW WHY!?" He yelled as more tears streamed down Naruto's face.

"N-no… please… I-I didn't d-d-do any… anything! I just wanna go home… please, just let me go home… please don't do this," Naruto begged. The young jinchuuriki was beginning to fear for his life more and more as each second ticked by.

The leader smiled as he tightened his grip on Naruto's neck. "Do you know who I am, demon?"

Naruto frantically shook his head. Each word the older boy spoke made it harder for the blond to maintain control over his bladder.

The leader's eyes quickly changed from dark brown to bright red with a single black tomoe in each iris. "My name is Uchiha Tanzo," the boy said as he released all the killing intent he could muster, causing the shivering boy in front of him to wet himself in fear, "and many Uchiha gave their lives to stop you… and for that, you must pay," he finished quietly.

And then it began.

Naruto could only hope to protect his vital areas for as long as possible from the bullies' attacks, but the boy was not blind to the grim truth of his situation.

He was going to die.

For reasons he didn't understand, Tanzo and his friends were going to beat Naruto to death in this alley, and no matter how hard he begged or how loud he screamed, no one was coming to help him.

"_I don't wanna die…" _Naruto thought as his world went dark.

* * *

Drip. Drip. Drip.

"_I'm dead…"_

Drip. Drip. Drip.

"_Is… is this what happens when you die?"_

Drip. Drip. Drip.

"_Is this hell?"_

Drip. Drip. Drip.

"_It's cold…"_

Drip. Drip. Drip.

"_What is that…? Water! It's leaking from somewhere! Wait… why do I know that? It… it smells like I'm in a sewer…"_

Drip. Drip. Drip.

"_I… I don't understand this. I should be dead…"_

"**Pathetic boy, as if such weak attacks could kill you." **

The voice was so loud it shook the room, or whatever it was, causing Naruto's eyes to snap open.

"Where am I?" He asked.

"**You are in **_**my**_** hell, boy."**

Naruto looked around wildly for the source of the voice, but only found leaking pipes, puddles of water, and a gigantic gate with the kanji for "seal" on it.

"Who are you? Show yourself!"

A pair of glowing red eyes opened behind the gate. **"My identity is of little consequence, boy. All that you should concern yourself with is the fact that you are indebted to me…"**

With those ominous words, Naruto once again found himself slipping into the darkness…

* * *

"_Why is this happening?" _The jinchuuriki wondered. By now Naruto was confident that he was in fact still alive, the throbbing pain pulsing throughout his body was proof enough. Upon closer inspection, Naruto deduced that he was still lying in the alley Tanzo and his friends had dragged him to.

"You have broken Sandaime's law, the penalty for which… is death."

The cold voice caused Naruto to open his eyes, an act which he immediately regretted. Lying in front of Naruto, with the point of a kunai protruding from his neck, was the larger of Tanzo's friends.

"N-no! Don't kill me! Please-"

Naruto looked up just in time to see the ANBU's ninjato slice through Tanzo's neck, bathing the wall behind him in the boy's blood.

After a casual flick of his blade to remove the blood, the ANBU gracefully slid his ninjato into its sheath and turned to face Naruto.

"You have nothing to fear from me, Naruto-kun. Those boys will not bother you again."

Naruto nodded. "T-thank you, Weasel-san."

The ANBU chuckled at his "name." "They make us wear these masks. Sadly, when I became an ANBU, 'tiger' and 'dragon' were already taken…"

Naruto giggled. "I like your mask, Weasel-san. It looks much friendlier than the other masks."

"Thank you, Naruto-kun. I'm going to take you to the hospital so that you can have your injuries looked over, but from what I can see, they don't appear to be too bad," 'Weasel-san' said as he held out a gloved hand to assist Naruto up.

"O-okay," Naruto replied shakily as he took a backwards glimpse at the bodies of Tanzo and his friends.

This didn't go unnoticed by the ANBU.

"Violating Sandaime's law is an act of treason against Konohagakure, Naruto-kun. The punishment for which is death. Always remember, Naruto-kun, that loyalty to one's village comes before all else, even clans like the Hyuga and Uchiha are not exempt from this rule."

"I will take your words to heart, Weasel-san," Naruto answered with a smile.

"I'm glad to hear it," the ANBU answered as he began to lead Naruto to Konoha's hospital.

"_I'm going to have to report this to Hokage-sama,"_ thought the ANBU, _"The Uchiha are beginning to play fast and loose with Konoha's laws… this is just one of the many troubling developments in their behavior. From holding 'secret' council meetings to informing the children of Naruto-kun's status as a jinchuuriki, the clan's actions are beginning to worry me."_

As the ANBU led Naruto past the Uchiha clan compound, he couldn't help but look back at the red and white fans that adorned the gates and wonder what went wrong.

Beside him, Uzumaki Naruto was committing his words to memory.

"_I will do as Weasel-san said, I will do whatever I can for Konohagakure no Sato. I will become the best leaf shinobi, and work until I am Hokage. Then… then the village will accept me. I will love this village with all of my being._

"_That will be my nindo… my ninja way."_

_

* * *

_**Author's Ntes: **I hoped you enjoyed the intro to my new story, and as always, comments and/or suggestions are appreciated.

-Andrew


	2. Chapter 1: Rape Me

**Act One, Chapter 1: "Rape Me"**

"_Rape me._

_Rape me, my friend._

_Rape me._

_Rape me, again._

_I'm not the only one._

_Hate me._

_Do it do it again._

_Waste me._

_Rape me, my friend._

_My favorite inside source._

_I'll kiss your open sores._

_Appreciate your concern._

_You'll always stink and burn."_

"_Rape Me"- _by Nirvana

* * *

It was one of the more "colorful" alleys in Konoha, thought Naruto as he looked at his surroundings. The container took note of the faded graffiti splattering the walls, the tattered cardboard boxes that served to guiltily remind him of the less fortunate, the broken sake bottles, and of course, there were the abandoned milk crates which he now sat upon.

To be honest, Naruto couldn't really think of a better place to wallow in self pity. With a sigh, the young Uzumaki reached into his pocket and extracted a pack of cigarettes. The boy withdrew a single cigarette while fumbling in his other pocket for a lighter.

Naruto placed the tiny stick on his lips and quickly flicked the lighter. Instantly the little cylinder produced the "relaxing" smoke that the ninja so desperately craved. Naruto knew that cigarettes were bad for him, hell he even knew that they didn't really relax him or help him solve any problems. All that Naruto really cared about was that when he smoked on days like _these_ they helped… even if it was just a little.

Naruto had beaten Kiba in the preliminary round of the chunin exams two days ago; he should be out with his friends celebrating at the festival, not stuck in some dank alley trying to hold his tears back while smoking a cigarette.

It seemed as if God enjoyed mocking Naruto. It had to be so; why else would the chunin exams be held now? Why would they take place at the same time as the festival that commemorated the Yondaime's defeat of the Kyuubi no Yoko… it also happened to be the day of Naruto's birthday.

Thirteen years ago today, The Fourth Hokage of Konohagakure no Sato sealed the Kyuubi no Yoko into Uzumaki Naruto just hours after he had been born. As a result, Naruto was an outcast. The majority of the villagers hated him and shunned him like an outcast. Then, on the day Naruto turned eleven, the Sandaime Hokage called him into his office and broke him.

* * *

"_What do you want, Old Man?" Naruto asked as he walked into the Hokage's office and sat down across from Sarutobi._

_The Third Hokage frowned at his nick name. "Naruto, I'm sorry to pull you away from the festival, but there is something that we need to discuss."_

_Naruto looked out the window as he whispered, "It's not like I care about that stupid festival anyway…" He left out the part where the villagers had chased him out when he tried to play the shuriken throwing game with some other kids._

_Sarutobi sighed, he had a feeling the villagers were acting up again. "Naruto, do you know why we hold this festival every year?"_

_Naruto searched his brain for what little information he retained from his lessons at the Academy. "To celebrate the day Yondaime-sama defeated the Demon Fox?"_

"_Yes Naruto. Can you tell me how The Fourth Hokage defeated the Kyuubi no Yoko?"_

_The elderly Hokage watched as Naruto bit his lip in concentration. "No…"_

_Sarutobi sighed once more and withdrew his pipe and a bag of tobacco from his desk._

_In a matter of seconds Naruto's nose was assaulted by the odd smelling smoke._

"_Naruto, the Yondaime was a master of sealing jutsu, as such he was in possession of a jutsu known as Shiki Fujin…"_

* * *

Naruto watched a tear fall down and collide with the dirt beneath his feet as he took a long drag from his cigarette and exhaled it softly.

"That could have possibly been the worst day of my life…" Naruto said to no one in particular. The young genin knew it was definitely the reason no one cared about his birthday, they were too busy celebrating the Yondaime's sacrifice while mourning the fact that, aside from salvation, Naruto was the only fruit that that sacrifice bore.

Sadly, it still seemed that even after thirteen years Naruto was still unwelcome at the very festival that celebrated his birth… and _his_ sacrifice.

"It's not fair… no one asked me if I wanted this," Naruto said as he took a final drag from his cigarette and tossed it on the ground, "Everyone gets to live a nice normal life, everyone else gets to go wherever they want without being called a 'demon,' and everyone else gets to be happy and be respected…"

"IT ISN'T FAIR!" Naruto exclaimed as he rose and punched his fist into the wall in front of him.

Instantly Naruto regretted his actions as he turned in the direction of a small gasp. Upon seeing the source of the sound, the teen only hung his head in shame.

"N-Naruto-kun?"

The blond didn't bother looking up; she would only see his tears. "Hello… Hinata-chan."

The timid Hyuga quietly walked over to Naruto. "I-is ev-everything okay?"

Naruto looked up. The jinchuuriki first noted that she appeared to have fully recovered from her fight with Neji a couple days ago. The clan heiress was dressed in a pale blue silk kimono that flowed about her and brought out her lavender eyes. But what puzzled Naruto was the small wrapped package she was clutching to her chest.

"What have you got there, Hinata-chan?" Naruto asked, indicating Hinata's package with his finger.

Hinata started a bit; she had become distracted by the tear tracks that ran down Naruto's face.

_"Why was Naruto-kun crying?" _"O-oh! U-um, I-Igotyouapresent," Hinata frantically answered.

"What was that?"

"I-I… here," Hinata answered as she held the small package out, silently praying for Naruto to like it.

"F-for me?" Naruto stuttered… he didn't dare hope that it was what he thought it was.

Hinata simply nodded her head and took another step towards Naruto.

With shaking hands Naruto took the package from Hinata and began unwrapping it as the young Hyuga held her breath in anticipation.

Naruto finished unwrapping the small package and extracted a piece of leather. Upon closer inspection, Naruto saw that it was a leather arm bracer that would cover his entire forearm from his wrist to just before his elbow. The bracer itself was black, save for the row of blue kanji running down its side. Naruto looked over them and quickly read "honor, wisdom, strength, knowledge, perseverance, and courage." And at the bottom of the blue kanji, where his wrist would be, was the kanji for "love" in red.

Naruto looked up to confirm that Hinata was really there and this all wasn't some sick joke.

He caught her eye. "Happy birthday, Naruto-kun."

It took all of Hinata's willpower to stop herself from fainting when Naruto suddenly rushed forward and enveloped her in an endearing hug.

"T-thank y-you, Hinata-chan," he said between broken sobs, "thank you for this…"

"N-Naruto, why are you crying?" Hinata asked, confused at the blond shinobi's reaction.

Said shinobi withdrew a little and glanced off to the side as his hand tightened around his present. His next words broke her heart.

"No one's ever given me a birthday present before…"

"Oh Naruto!" Hinata exclaimed as she pulled him into another hug, cradling his head to her shoulder as she ran her fingers through his hair in a comforting manner. "Why don't you celebrate your birthday, it's on the same day as the festival… you should be an honored guest!"

"_Honored guest"_... It was these words that broke Naruto. Hinata's simple reminder of how things _should_ be was simply too much. He _should_ be celebrating with his friends, he _should_ be playing games, he _should_ be celebrating his birth, and most importantly… he _should_ be _**happy**_. But no, instead the village saw him as nothing more than a container for the trash they couldn't get rid of themselves… hell, they hated him so much, he might as well have been the Kyuubi.

_Kyuubi_… all of this because of the Kyuubi no Yoko… all of this put on his shoulders, and he was utterly alone…

"N-Naruto-kun, I know we don't talk much, b-but I want you to know t-that I'll always be here for you… if y-you ever want to t-talk." Hinata offered, bringing Naruto out of his thoughts.

Certain things seemed to click.

Hinata was never mean to him; in fact she never had anything but kind words for him.

Hinata never shunned Naruto, she just fainted a couple of times.

Hinata never thought he was a failure, she always encouraged him to do his best.

She offered to let him cheat off her during the first test of the Chunin exam.

She gave him one of her special salves to help heal him after his fight with Kiba.

She said his nindo inspired her.

And she was here now, when Naruto desperately needed someone to confide in…

Naruto's cheeks were stained with a light blush that was quickly mirrored on Hinata's when he quietly stepped forward and slowly grasped her hand in his.

"Did you really mean that, Hinata-chan," Naruto whispered.

Swallowing her nervousness, Hinata grasped his hand within hers and brought it up towards her chest. "I did, Naruto-kun. I meant every word. Whenever you need me, I'll be there because… because you are precious to me…"

Naruto looked into her eyes and was taken aback by their sincerity and conviction; the lavender-eyed kunoichi really did have a special place for him in her heart. And how did Naruto repay her? By ignoring her and chasing after Sakura… by chasing after the pink haired kunoichi Naruto had thrown Hinata's friendship and devotion to the wayside. Naruto felt tears burn as he realized what it was exactly that he had done.

"_I shunned her. All she ever did was care and I wouldn't spare her the time of day… I'm no better than those damn villagers."_ Naruto thought, causing more tears to cascade down his cheeks.

"Can you ever forgive me, Hinata-chan?"

"W-what? N-Naruto-kun, you've done nothing wrong…"

"Yes, I have," Naruto whispered as he buried his face in the crook of Hinata's neck. The girl smelt of vanilla and scented oils… it was what a loving home should smell like, it was peace and it was happiness. "I have abandoned you, Hinata. I have not been there for you like a friend should. And I have left you alone… no one deserves to be left alone in this world, people cannot survive like that… I-I don't understand how you can to stand to look at me," Naruto finished shamefully; he had abandoned the person who cared for him the most, he had cast aside one of the few people in the village who was willing to look at him and see Naruto, not Kyuubi no Yoko.

"_I've taken Hinata for granted… I'm no better than Zabuza, Haku."_

Hinata blinked away the tears as she struggled to answer Naruto. "I-I could never hate you, Naruto-kun. You s-see t-there's something that I've wanted to t-tell you for awhile now…"

The jinchuuriki looked up and took notice of the blush accenting Hinata's cheeks; even in this godforsaken alley she was beautiful, from her pearly, soft skin, to her dark blue hair, and her pale lavender eyes.

"What is it, Hinata?" Naruto asked as he lifted his hand to wipe away a stray tear from her cheek with his thumb; the Kyuubi container was surprised to realize how much _her_ tears pained _him_.

Hinata sighed softly and leaned into his touch. "N-Naruto-kun," she began softly, "when I think of you… I… I d-don't feel weak… I don't f-feel like I am a burden to others. W-when I fought Neji, his words stung me deeply… because they were rooted in the truth. My c-clan does not accept me for who I am… m-my own f-father d-despises m-me. They all want m-me to be something I am not, but it is something I just cannot do.

"Two days ago, Neji took these facts and threw them in my face and announced them to the world. I was devastated… it… it was like looking into a mirror and _hating_ what you saw. I wanted so much to run away and hide… and I nearly did." Hinata finished, unable to look Naruto in the eyes after admitting her weakness to the person she cared most for.

Hinata felt a gentle hand grasp her chin and guide her gaze up. "But you didn't run, Hinata-chan. You stood up for yourself and gave it everything you had, I was so proud…"

Hinata took a deep breath to steady her nerves. "You are right, Naruto-kun. Your words gave me the strength I could not give myself… You inspired me that day to follow my own path, to forge my own nindo. I could never hate someone I owe so much to… I could never hate you Naruto-kun be-because I l-love you."

"You l-love me?"

Hinata nodded her head slowly as the fact that she had just told the boy she loved how she really felt settled over her.

Naruto couldn't believe it, when his evening started, he found himself smoking alone in an alley. But now, he was standing while an angel professed her love for him. And she was an angel, the beautiful goddess before him was draped in the finest of silks, endowed with eyes that could outshine the sun any day of the week, she had hair that smelt of the sweetest flowers and soft skin that had nothing but tenderness behind its touch. How could he have gone all this time without realizing that the most important thing in his life, someone who truly cared for him, had sat behind him in Iruka-sensei's class for the past six years?

"Hinata-chan… have you always felt this way?"

The girl gave him a smile, not a happy smile… no, it was a sick, sad little smile that spoke of many hurtful rejections and tear-filled nights. "Since we first met, Naruto-kun."

For what seemed like an eternity, Naruto simply stared at Hinata, silently gazing at the young girl's beautiful eyes… eyes that were currently sparkling with the desire for reciprocation… the need to be noticed by the object of their affection.

Naruto was suddenly struck with an epiphany. The two of them were one in the same. It was as Hinata had put it; it was like starring into a mirror. The two shinobi were broken… it was as simple as that... two broken mirrors reflecting the same image… broken mirrors that had no one to pick up the pieces and put them back together again.

In one swift movement, Naruto cupped Hinata's face with his left hand and pulled her into a kiss. Her lips were soft, warm, and yielding. It was as if she was made especially for him and he especially for her.

And as soon as it begun, Naruto pulled away slightly, thus ensuring that their first kiss remained chaste.

Already Hinata missed the feel of his lips on hers. _"Naruto-kun kissed me! He feels the same as I do!"_

"Hinata-chan… there's something that I need to tell you… and I'm afraid you won't like it…" Naruto said with a hint of nervousness behind his words.

"Does it have to do with the way the villagers treat you?"

Unable to overcome the lump in his throat, Naruto nodded.

Hinata cupped Naruto's face with her soft hands. "Naruto-kun, there is nothing in this world that could ever change the way I feel about you; when all others forsake you, I will remain by your side."

"What I'm going to tell you isn't something that should be discussed out in the open… would you accompany me back to my apartment?"

"O-okay…" Hinata answered uncertainly. _"How big of a secret has Naruto-kun been hiding if he is unwilling to discuss outside the walls of his own home?"_

Another thought occurred to Hinata. _I'm going to be alone with Naruto-kun! In his home!_ The poor girl nearly fainted as she thought of the implications of her and Naruto's actions. However, Hinata's nervousness soon gave way to open curiosity. _I don't think Naruto-kun has ever invited anyone to his home… I'm not even sure what part of town he lives in…_

Motioning for Hinata to follow, Naruto silently jumped up to the roof of one of the buildings forming the alley he and Hinata currently occupied, forcing the young girl to abandon her thoughts and take off after him.

In the dead of night, the two genin quietly made their way to Naruto's apartment, none the wiser to the fact that a shinobi with unruly white hair was observing their every move.

* * *

Hinata watched silently as Naruto opened the door to his apartment and beckoned her inside. The two stopped and placed their sandals by the door before proceeding further. After the simple task was completed, Hinata had the opportunity to look around Naruto's apartment. Surprisingly enough, it was rather neat and organized. His front door opened up into a small kitchen/dining area that was complete with sink, cabinets, refrigerator, stove and a small table accompanied by a quartet of chairs and topped off with an ashtray. Hinata guided her gaze to Naruto's living area and saw a coffee table surrounded by a couch and love seat, with a television set directly across the couch. On the far wall, Hinata could see a lone door that she assumed lead to his bedroom and bathroom.

All in all, Hinata came to the conclusion that it was the standard layout of a one-person apartment. However, what troubled Hinata were the tiny hints of information she gathered. Throughout her inspection, Hinata could not locate a single picture of Naruto or his loved ones. On closer inspection of the table, Hinata noticed small rings of dust around three of the four chairs, indicating that they were rarely moved. The floorboards under the chair with its back to the door were scratched, and the white placemat in front of it was stained here and there with the remnants of Naruto's past meals.

It was the apartment of someone who was utterly alone in the world, it was not Naruto's home, it was just a place to sleep.

"Would you like some tea, Hinata-chan?"

"N-no thank you, Naruto-kun."

Naruto shrugged. "Alright, then you can go ahead and take a seat on the couch."

Hinata nodded and made her way to Naruto's couch and settled herself between the sofa's back and armrest.

Naruto sat down next to her and contemplated what he was about to say.

He sighed.

"Hinata-chan, do you know why Konoha holds this festival every year?

"W-well… the festival celebrates the day Yondaime Hokage-sama defeated Kyuubi no Yoko…"

"True. But do you know how Yondaime-sama defeated the Kyuubi?"

Hinata's brow furrowed in concentration; now that she thought about she couldn't recall a single time when Iruka-sensei mentioned what kind of jutsu Yondaime Hokage used in his duel with the Kyuubi.

"I don't know… I don't remember ever learning about the method Yondaime-sama used to defeat Kyuubi…"

"That doesn't surprise me, Hinata-chan. You see, what Yondaime did that night is considered an S-class secret. While The Fourth was an incredibly powerful shinobi, the only one to ever be considered an SS-class shinobi in the bingo book, even he could not slay a bijuu."

"But… if he could not defeat the Kyuubi, how was the village saved?" Hinata asked, clearly confused by what Naruto was telling her.

"While it might not have been possible to defeat Kyuubi, Yondaime was a world renowned seal master. He was a person with an extensive knowledge in sealing jutsu. So on the night of Kyuubi's attack, Yondaime was forced to use an S-class kinjutsu." Naruto answered.

"N-Naruto-kun, if that is in fact what happened, why is it kept secret… and what does this have to do with the villagers' treatment of you?"

Naruto smiled a cold, humorless smile. "The particular jutsu Yondaime used required a human child. You see, Hinata-chan, this jutsu would seal the Kyuubi no Yoko in a human 'container' until the container either died or chose to release Kyuubi. Naturally none of the parents living in the village would voluntarily sacrifice their own child and condemn him or her to a life as a living jail…"

Comprehension was beginning to dawn upon Hinata, and she was quickly beginning to dread what she knew was coming next…

"However," Naruto continued in a voice shaking with silent fury, while simultaneously flooding the room with killing intent, "the village was currently playing host to a refugee from Whirlpool Country. A young woman had fled to Konoha in the hopes that she would be able to raise her unborn child in peace."

Hinata watched as a tear slid down Naruto's cheek and splashed onto the couch, disappearing into the red fabric.

"Sadly, she died while giving birth to her son. As fate would have it, the village decided that this child would be used to contain Kyuubi no Yoko…" Naruto trailed off while he looked away from Hinata. "I wasn't even a day old when this village and its council decided to turn me into a god damned monster."

Hinata couldn't look at Naruto… not after what she had heard. The thought that the village she was sworn to protect, whose symbol she wore around her neck, had sacrificed a small child by turning him into a living house for the most powerful demon to ever roam the lands was too much for her to handle.

Naruto had stripped her clean of the illusion that Konohagakure no Sato was perfect, the jinchuuriki had shown her that evil, greed, and injustice dwelled in the hearts of all men. Uzumaki Naruto had taken Hyuga Hinata deep into a forest, turned over a rock, and showed her something fetid.

"_How can Naruto-kun stand this place? How can he live here after what they did to him?"_ The young girl wondered.

"N-Naruto-kun, do you hate this village?"

A few moments passed in silence before-

"I want to. There are days where I can't think of a single thing the populace of this village has done for me besides cause me pain. All my life parents have chased me away from their children, stores won't sell to me, others will overcharge me, and those who were here when Kyuubi attacked look at me with hate in their eyes.

"And yet… I still want to be Hokage. I want to show this village that I can protect it, I want the villagers to respect and accept me… I need to prove to these people that even a monster can love and be loved…" Naruto cringed slightly, he hadn't meant to let that last part slip out… but before he could do anything about it, the teen found himself enveloped in Hinata's loving embrace.

"You are _not_ a monster," Hinata whispered as she held Naruto to her chest and felt his arms wrap around her waist, "I am so sorry that this village doesn't see you for the hero that you truly are, Naruto-kun. The way Konoha has treated you is unforgiveable… you've done nothing to deserve it."

Naruto allowed his tears to fall freely onto Hinata's kimono; he no longer cared about trying to maintain his happy-go-lucky façade. It didn't matter, Hinata had already seen the "real" Naruto… and for reasons he didn't quite comprehend, she hadn't run away from him.

"_Is this what it means to be loved? To be unconditionally accepted for who you are… is this how Hinata feels about me? __**Me?**__ The most hated shinobi of Konoha, the dead last of the rookie genin, the jinchuuriki of the Kyuubi no Yoko?"_ It was mind boggling for Naruto. In his thirteen years of life, not one person had bothered to reach out to him in the way Hinata was. He didn't get hugs, no one encouraged him, people didn't smile at him, and he _definitely_ didn't get kissed.

Things had become extremely confusing in the past couple of hours, Naruto found it rather distressful, even to the point that he was developing a headache. So he did what he usually did in these high-stress situations: he pulled out a cigarette and with a casual flick, lit the small stick with the lighter he kept in his pocket.

Naruto was halfway through with exhaling his first drag when he remembered that he was sitting next to Hinata.

"_Stupid, stupid, stupid!"_

Naruto exhaled the last of the smoke and turned slowly towards Hinata.

"_Shit! She doesn't approve, I can see it in her eyes. She's… disappointed…"_

"Hinata… I'm sorry. It's… it's just that sometimes I get a little stressed… and this helps a bit…" Naruto explained weakly as he resisted the urge to take another drag.

Hinata bit her lip thoughtfully before speaking. "W-well… it's not my place to tell you how to live your life, Naruto-kun. But I wish you wouldn't smoke, it's not good for you… and the smoke isn't the most pleasant of fragrances…"

Naruto sighed. "I know it's stupid, Hinata-chan. I know. But you don't have to worry about it hurting me… _it_ won't let its vessel die."

Hinata's brow knit. "I… I don't understand, Naruto-kun."

"Let me show you."

Hinata was shocked to see Naruto take the cigarette and grind it into the back of his left hand.

"Naruto-kun! What are you-"

"Watch."

Naruto and Hinata stared at the circular burn mark until it slowly, but surely, began to heal.

"The Kyuubi's chakra heals you! That… that is amazing, Naruto-kun!" Hinata exclaimed.

The blond jinchuuriki snorted as he put out his cigarette, lamenting the fact he only got one drag out of it. _"That was my last one…"_ "The bastard only wants to keep me alive because he knows that if I die he goes with me." _"Strange… that took a longer to heal than it should have…"_

"That me be true, Naruto-kun, but it is a remarkable gift none the less. 'A wise ninja makes use of everything available.'"

Naruto chuckled. "That is true, Hinata-chan," he said as he got up to make himself a cup of tea, "but one should never overlook the price one must pay for such gifts…"

Hinata nodded as she watched Naruto walk to his kitchen, but was horrified when he stumbled and fell to the floor.

"Naruto-kun!" The young kunoichi rushed over to her fallen friend. "Are you alright!?"

Naruto's world was spinning. What started out as a dull headache had quickly turned into a debilitating migraine. It felt as if his brain was attempting to crack his skull like an eggshell, the pain of which forced warm tears to leak from his eyes.

"_This has gotta have something to do with the fox. Fuck! Why does this shit have to happen right now!? I'm gonna scare Hinata-chan… I gotta do something!"_

"Hinata, it's just a side effect of Kyuubi's chakra," Naruto began as his vision slowly began to darken, "please don't tell anyone… just make sure nothing happens while I'm out-" Naruto paused abruptly as the taste of copper entered his mouth. _"What the hell?"_

"Naruto, your eyes!" Hinata exclaimed as Naruto whipped away a bloody tear with his finger.

Naruto was quickly losing faith in his situation. "It'll be okay Hinata, I promise. Just wait- Aaahhhhh!"

Hinata started as Naruto cried out and clutched his head in pain.

However both became subdued when they caught each other's gaze.

Naruto was shocked to see what looked like a drop of ink form in his field of vision and slowly grow to black out his sight. Naruto couldn't help but be amazed as the black tendrils slowly snaked their way towards the very edge of his field of vision, ensuring that the young shinobi was able to see nothing before finally slipping into unconsciousness.

Hinata could not find her voice as she watched Naruto's pupils slowly leak into the rest of his eyes and consume the sapphire blue irises before his eyelids drooped down, signaling the genin's loss of consciousness.

There was nothing the Hyuga heiress could do except watch as the boy she loved continued to weep tears of blood in his sleep.

* * *

It had changed in the past seven years. The sewer pipe-lined walls had been replaced by cracked stone that formed a somewhat circular enclosure that connected to what appeared to be an endless hallway where the gate had once been. Looking down from his seated position against the wall opposite the hallway, Naruto noticed the floor- at least it felt like a floor- had the kanji for "seal" painted in red on it, vaguely reminding him of the 'love" kanji that adorned Hinata's gift and Gaara's head.

When Naruto looked up, he saw what appeared to be the night sky, stars gleaming brightly as the occasional cloud rolled by.

"Strange," Naruto said to himself, "It's completely different and I don't see the-" Naruto paused when the sound of walking echoed throughout the "room."

"-fox…"

Red eyes glowed sinisterly as man clad in a white suit emerged from the dark hallway. The man wore the kind of flamboyant suit that Naruto had begun to associate with men like Gato; the red rose sitting in the jacket's pocket and the suit's white color only helped to further the stereotype.

The man paused in front of Naruto before pulling out a chair from seemingly nowhere and taking a seat, giving Naruto the opportunity to take in his even face, and short black hair.

"_Kyuubi_!?"

The man smiled, showing Naruto his elongated canines. **"I believe it's time we had a little heart to heart, boy"**

"What the hell is going on!?" Naruto asked incredulously as he watched a drop of blood leak out of the corner of Kyuubi's eye.

A bark of laughter erupted from Kyuubi as he withdrew a handkerchief from his pocket and dabbed at the blood. **"Hell's coming to this village, boy. The kind of hell that brings down fire and brimstone, the kind of hell that wars are made of, the kind of hell that consumes all in its path and any that would try to stop it. Hell is coming to Konohagakure no Sato, and it's coming for us.**

"**And the only thing that's gonna stop it is the Akuonigan." **

**

* * *

A/N: **I hope you enjoyed chapter 1, and I hope you'll leave a review.

**Translations:** Hoshinogo- Loosely translates to "five-star" (It was the name of the store in the prologue)

Akuonigan- "Cursed demon eye"


	3. Chapter 2: The Times They Are Achangin

**Act One, Chapter 2: "The Times They Are A-changin'"**

"_The line it is drawn_

_The curse it is cast_

_The slow one now_

_Will later be fast_

_As the present now_

_Will later be past_

_The order is_

_Rapidly fadin'._

_And the first one now_

_Will later be last_

_For the times they are a-changin'."_

"_The Times They Are A-changin'"_by Bob Dylan

* * *

"Akuonigan? What the hell is that?"

Kyuubi grinned as another bloody tear slid down his cheek and splashed onto the rose secured in his jacket pocket. **"To put it simply, it is a dojutsu like the Uchiha's Sharingan, or the Hyuga's Byakugan."**

"So what, I have a kekkei genkai?"

"**No. The Akuonigan is not a bloodline limit that you could theoretically pass onto your… spawn. This dojutsu requires that a jinchuuriki's bijuu willingly relinquishes its powers and chakra to its host, rather than have the seal slowly transfer the tailed beast's chakra over the years."**

Naruto's eyes went wide. "Wait, so that means that you have willingly given me your chakra?" Kyuubi nodded, "Why?"

Thebijuu gestured lazily towards their surroundings. **"Look around you, boy. The division between us is gone. Because I have willingly given you my chakra, we are merging into one being… you're a hanyo now, boy. **

"**Things have changed. I have gazed into our future and seen what is headed our way; it was not pleasant. I saw this worthless village get eradicated, I saw your Sandaime meet the same fate I did, I saw fire rain down and eradicate this worthless village, I saw your precious **_**Hinata-chan**_** die protecting you… and I saw our mutual deaths when the Akatsuki ripped me out and threw you away like the worthless piece of trash you truly are."**

"Fuck you!"

Kyuubi grabbed Naruto by the throat and slammed him into the wall. **"You will show me respect,"** the fox snarled in low voice that promised unending suffering, **"Or I will see to it that you are forced to live out the future I have seen… and I will make you watch as Madara's puppet rips the Hyuga girl's last breath from her lungs!"**

The lights were popping in Naruto's eyes as he futilely tried to pry Kyuubi's hand from his throat. Naruto once again found himself fearing for his life as he stared into the evil, remorseless eyes of Kyuubi no Yoko… but no sooner than he made contact with those pitiless rubies, he found himself hunched up against the wall while Kyuubi calmly dabbed at his eyes.

Naruto gulped as he slid back down into a sitting position and waited for Kyuubi to continue.

The demon in question shot Naruto a smirk that held no humor behind it before continuing. **"As I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted, what I have seen coming was not an acceptable way to die for one as… eminent such as I. As such, I have begun taking steps to prevent such a destiny from occurring."**

Naruto stared at Kyuubi as he tried to comprehend what the kitsune had told him, but after a few silent seconds…

"**I assume you have questions…"**

Naruto started when the silence broke, but his voice came out as a strangled whisper. "H-Hinata-chan died protecting me?"

"**Yes, she died attempting to prevent the Akatsuki from finishing you off after your battle; she failed. However, this has been prevented through my actions and her fate is once again unknown."**

Naruto sighed in relief. "Thank God."

Kyuubi's laughter rang throughout the "room." **"'Thank God.' You want to thank **_**God**_**? Tell me boy, what has God done for you lately? What has he done to make your life bearable? Tell me, what has he done to prevent the fate you and I dread so much from coming to fruition?" **

When Naruto did not answer, Kyuubi leaned a little closer. **"Where was God on those nights when you sat on your bed crying your tears and holding your kunai to your heart? More so, what would the 'Good Lord' have done had you actually had the courage to drive that blade into your weak heart?"**

Naruto was shocked. "H-how did you k-know?"

"**I know all there is to know about you, and rest assured that, had you managed to drive that blade into yourself, I would not have permitted your death. I will see to it that your miserable life is stretched out for as long as possible until your debt to me is paid in full."**

"D-debt?"

"**Yes. You will pay me back for the gifts I have given you by taking the life of the human that I **_**loathe**_** more than all others… However, that is neither here nor there. For now you should concern yourself with what is happening in the present."**

"You said that I had a new dojutsu… the 'Akuonigan.' What is it exactly?" Naruto asked, hoping to learn about the 'gift' Kyuubi had given him by relinquishing his chakra.

"**You know of the Sharingan and Byakugan, yes?"** Naruto nodded when Kyuubi paused. **"They are the 'lesser dojutsu.' The Akuonigan is one of the two 'higher dojutsu.'"**

"What's the other one?"

"**It is known as the Rinnegan. It is what the Sage of the Six Paths used to defeat the first demon and found the shinobi world. The Sage also used it to create the first ninjutsu. Also, a person possessing the Rinnegan is said to be able to utilize any type of jutsu and any of the main types of element manipulation, so long as they take the time to learn it. I suppose you could say that the Rinnegan is the opposite of the Akuonigan."**

"So the Rinnegan is good and the Akuonigan is evil?"

"**Only because your kind seeks to label everything it experiences as either good or evil, right and wrong, moral or immoral. The Rinnegan is 'good' because the founder of your world used it and the shinobi that have possessed it have done great things. The Akuonigan is 'evil' because only demons and their hanyo jinchuuriki may possess it.**

"**What you fail to realize is that, in reality, things such as this are not easily classified. If your village ordered you to assassinate a noble family of an enemy nation, you would do it simply because you are loyal to this worthless village."**

Naruto nodded, ignoring the insult Kyuubi threw at Konohagakure.

"_**I see the brat is learning to hold his tongue. Good…" **_**"But that would be murder, would it not? You would be ending the lives of a man and his family. Is that not evil? When you look into the eyes of a dying child that you have sent into the next life, will you tell yourself that it was for the greater good?" **Kyuubi asked as he put his handkerchief away, even as the bloody tears continued to flow.

Naruto swallowed as he felt something tug at the back of his mind. _"I must be close to waking up…" _"I will do what is asked of me for the greater good of my village. If that is the type of mission I am sent on… then so be it," Naruto began as he stood to face Kyuubi, "When I accepted this hitai-ate, I made a promise to protect Konohagakure no Sato to the best of my abilities, even if it means sacrificing my life to do so. And know this, Kyuubi no Yoko: I never go back on a promise because that's my nindo!"

Kyuubi grinned as he stood to face his container. **"Remember those words, boy. Because one of these days they're going to get shoved right back down your throat."**

Before Naruto could retort, lightning cracked across the sky above, startling the jinchuuriki and his bijuu.

"**Hmmm… our time is growing short," **Kyuubi stated as a bloody rain began to pour down from the darkened clouds swirling above him and Naruto, **"When you wake, you will not see things as you normally do; it is a side effect that will continue to occur until your body adjusts to the Akuonigan. When your vision returns to normal, I will begin training you to harness your dojutsu's abilities." **Kyuubi explained as he started to walk away.

Naruto watched as Kyuubi began to disappear down the hall, the bloody raindrops giving his suit a pinstriped look. "Why are you doing this… why do you care?" The blond boy called as Kyuubi began fading out of sight.

The demon in question turned to face his host. **"Because there's a storm coming… and it isn't the kind you can take shelter from. No, it's the kind you have to weather, the kind you meet head on. And for now, the best we can do is hope we don't get swept away," **Kyuubi answered before Naruto's world faded to black.

* * *

_Suki watched with apprehension as the man in front of her began to unbutton her blouse. She didn't know much about him except that he liked to frequent the same bar as she did… and his name._

_Takeshi._

_The young girl was pulled from her musings when she became aware of a firm hand cupping her now bare right breast. An involuntary moan of pleasure left Suki's mouth when she felt Takeshi's thumb begin to draw small circles around her now hardened peak._

"_You're beautiful," Takeshi whispered to the goddess before him as he slid Suki's blouse of her petite frame._

"_T-thank you, Ta-" Suki was interrupted when the man in front of her crushed his lips against hers._

_Suki was lost in the kiss, it was passionate, demanding, and sweet. Not soon after, she felt Takeshi's tongue slide over her bottom lip, asking for entrance… to which Suki gladly acquiesced._

_Takeshi could feel Suki's hands begin working on the buttons that ran down the front of his shirt while he invaded the girl's mouth. She tasted as good as she looked, the lingering taste of sake on their tongues served to further enhance the taste of their passionate kiss. _

_Suki whimpered when she felt Takeshi begin to attend to the growing heat between her thighs by cupping her now aroused sex. She began to press herself against his gentle hand in an attempt to gain more contact in the hopes that he would rub the sensitive bud of nerves that would bring her release._

_Takeshi removed his hand and quickly removed the pants that separated him from his prize; the man couldn't help but grin as he saw the damp patch staining Suki's panties as a result of his ministrations._

"_Takeshi, please…" The girl begged._

_Takeshi responded by grasping her left leg and running his skilled tongue up her inner thigh, while his hand moved to slide Suki's sodden undergarments, revealing her-_

* * *

With a flushed face Hinata snapped the orange covers of _Icha Icha Paradise_ shut and placed it back in Naruto's nightstand. The poor girl had simply been looking for a way to pass the time while she waited for Naruto to wake up from… whatever it was that he was doing. In the process of wiping the never-ending stream of blood that trickled from his eyes, Hinata had noticed the bright orange book and decided to give it a read.

"_That… that was not what I expected," _Hinata thought as she fanned her heated cheeks and attempted to ignore the tingling in her abdomen.

After placing the book back where she found it the Hyuga heiress noted that Naruto's clock was displaying 5:55._"Has it really been that long,"_ Hinata thought as she gazed at the now fading moon outside of Naruto's window.

The pale-eyed Hyuga cast a glance around the blond jinchuuriki's room once more. She noted the small, well cared for bonsai tree sitting on Naruto's window sill, the moderately-sized fish tank containing a single gold fish, and last but not least, Hinata's gaze was captured by a tiny black book sitting on the bottom shelf of Naruto's nightstand.

Still concerned with what she read in the first of Naruto's two books, Hinata decided to ignore the tiny leather-bound book and instead focus on the gold fish swimming around inside the fish tank. It was nice to think that Naruto enjoyed hobbies such as gardening and fish tending. But it also showed Hinata just how little she truly knew about the blue-eyed blond who had captured her heart so many years ago.

As her gaze once again swept over Naruto's nightstand, Hinata found herself studying Naruto's copy of the official Team 7 photograph.

"_Only Sakura-chan and Kakashi-sensei look happy. Naruto-kun and Sasuke-san look very upset… Perhaps they don't get along?"_ The girl thought as she studied the small photograph. But she came to the conclusion that it must mean something to Naruto, because it was the only photograph on display in his entire apartment.

Hinata rose from her seat at Naruto's bed side to inspect the tiny creature's home. It was… modest to say the least. The bottom of the tank was filled with blue-tinted crystals, a small sea plant sat in the back corner, while a pump attached to the tank's lid filtered out the water. Hinata watched, mesmerized by the tank's simplicity, as the small fish began to swim around a five-pointed, decorative shuriken that Naruto had placed in the tank.

Hinata giggled at the thought that Naruto insisted his aquatic friend have some exposure to the shinobi arts.

Deciding to leave the fish to its "laps," Hinata walked over to the window that sat next to the door that lead to the small balcony outside Naruto's room. She gently picked up the clay vase that held the water Naruto gave to his small tree. Holding it up to the moonlight, Hinata was able to determine that the vase was painted with what appeared to be several tiny green leaves cascading down towards the bottom of the vase.

Hinata set the vase down and nearly had a heart attack when she saw Naruto jump out of his bed and stumble towards his bathroom. Hinata rushed in after him in time to see Naruto slumped over his toilet as he vomited blood into the porcelain commode.

"Naruto-kun!" Hinata exclaimed as she ran forward to steady Naruto.

The blond container wiped the bloody froth from his lips before replying. "H-Hinata-chan… in the cabinet are bandages… my eyes… can you bandage them…"

Hinata rushed to the indicated cabinet and withdrew the necessary supplies. In an instant, the kunoichi had Naruto's eyes bandaged, thus stemming the flow of blood.

"Is that good, Naruto-kun?"

The blond sighed in relief. "Yeah… can you help me get back to the bed?"

Hinata answered by putting Naruto's arm around her shoulder and leading him back to his bed.

"_Kyuubi, is this what you meant by my vision changing?"_

"**Yes. As your eyes work to repair themselves, you will only be able to see the chakra of those near you. When your eyes have healed in a couple of hours or so… your vision will return to normal."**

"_So this won't last,"_ Naruto asked the bijuu as Hinata helped Naruto take a seat on the edge of his bed.

"**While your vision will enhance, you will not see be able to see chakra as you do now. For now, you must rest to regain your strength. However, you will need to find a way to protect your eyes from the sun for the next couple of weeks. I suggest a mask of sorts."**

"_Fair enough. But what exactly does the Akuonigan do?"_ Naruto asked as he felt Hinata sit down next to him and begin to check his bandages.

"**All in good time, boy. For now know that you will not be able to use any Doton, Katon, Raiton, Suiton, or Futon jutsu."**

Next to her, Hinata felt Naruto tense as a small wave of killing intent rolled off of him.

"_Then what the hell is left you damn fox!?"_

"**Foolish boy!" **Kyuubi roared, causing Naruto to jump, **"As a trade off for its vast power, the Akuonigan carries with it several curses, one of them being an elemental restriction. As I explained earlier, a person who possesses the Rinnegan is able to use every type of element manipulation. So, knowing that the Rinnegan and Akuonigan are polar opposites, would it not make sense that your own element manipulation would be restricted?"**

"_Sorry… I was just shocked. If I can't use any of those jutsu, what is there left?"_

"**Those who possess the Akuonigan are limited to using Shoton, Hyoton, Yoton, and Mokuton. You will need help learning to manipulate these affinities, which I will assist in. I have sensed one in this village who can teach you Mokuton; you will need to seek him out while I begin teaching you Yoton. For now, it will have to suffice."**

"_I understand." _Naruto answered as he felt Kyuubi sever their connection.

"N-Naruto-kun… are you upset about something?"

The jinchuuriki sighed as Hinata's shy hand found his and gave it a small squeeze, which he returned. "Well Hinata-chan, I've just learned that I can only use certain types of nature manipulation: crystal, wood, ice, and lava. While they are indeed powerful, I'm afraid that I have no experience whatsoever using them…"

"_Things never seem to go easy for Naruto-kun…" _"What do you intend to do, Naruto-kun?"

"Well…" Naruto gave Hinata the abridged version of what Kyuubi foresaw (leaving out Hinata's death _"She doesn't need to know…"_) and explained what he had learned about his new dojutsu.

"So you still do not know the full extent of the Akuonigan's power?" Hinata asked.

"No. But from what I've learned and experienced, it seems more like a curse than a gift," Naruto answered as he turned to the side and coughed up more blood into his hand.

Seeing this, Hinata pulled a handkerchief from one of the sleeves of her kimono and proceeded to clean the blood from Naruto's hand.

Naruto smiled and took the girl's soft hand in his now clean one. "Thank you, Hinata-chan. You've shown me that at least one good thing has come of this night," Naruto said as he withdrew Hinata's gift from his pocket and placed it on his nightstand with his free hand.

Hinata attempted to will the blush staining her cheeks away. "W-what is that, Naruto-kun?"

Naruto withdrew his hand from Hinata's and slowly raised it to caress the Hyuga's cheek with his thumb. _"So gentle, so sweet, so tender… so soft…" _"You, Hinata-chan. When you found me tonight, you gave me the most precious gift of all… you gave me your love," Naruto whispered as Hinata once again found herself leaning into Naruto's gentle caress.

"So… do you feel the same way I do? Do you l-love me…?" Hinata asked as she scooted closer to wrap her arms around Naruto and rest her head in the crook of his neck.

The blond shinobi wrapped his arms around her and placed a soft kiss on top of Hinata's head before leaning closer to whisper into her ear. "Hyuga Hinata," Naruto whispered, his breath sending a shiver down Hinata's spine, "I will love you with all of my heart, I will place you before all others and do everything in my ability to ensure that you are always smiling… because when no one else would, you came to me and showed me love, unconditional love.

"You're my angel, my Hina-hime"

Hinata knew she was crying, but that did not deter her from turning to Naruto and enveloping him in a passionate kiss. In this simple gesture, a gesture she had seen many adults perform before her, the young girl was attempting to show the boy next to her that she would always love him. That she would never leave him. Hyuga Hinata used this kiss to rid herself of the many sleepless nights that she despaired over Naruto's lack of interest, to rid herself of every time she heard "Sakura-chan" escape Naruto's lips, and to rid herself of every time she lacked the courage to tell Naruto exactly how she felt.

With this kiss, Hyuga Hinata wiped the slate clean.

Naruto wanted to continue their kiss, but was forced to stop when he heard a knock at his door, a knock that caused the two teens to quickly separate and put a good foot of space between them.

"_Oh God, what if someone finds out I'm here at this hour!? Father will be furious! Wait… what if it is someone who is trying to hurt Naruto-kun? I can't let that happen!"_

"Hinata, can you help me walk to the door?"

"Of course." The lavender-eyed girl replied as she helped Naruto up and walked him to the door.

"Hinata, can you use your Byakugan to see who is on the other side of the door?" Naruto whispered.

After a soft cry of "Byakugan," Hinata informed Naruto that his visitor was indeed a friend.

Wondering who would call on him at this hour, Naruto opened the door to be greeted by a familiar voice.

"Yo."

* * *

**A/N: **I hope you enjoyed the chapter. I feel that I should point out that Kyuubi's line about the storm is a reference to Bob Dylan's song "Shelter From The Storm" and the blue fish beads are a reference to his song "Tangled Up In Blue." And for those that are thinking that Naruto is becoming too powerful, remember that for every benefit the Akuonigan grants him, it also curses him with a particular weakness. What exactly these abilities and limitations are will be explained in the forthcoming chapters.

As always, I hope you take the time to review with your comments and/or suggestions for songs to be used as titles.

-Andrew


	4. Chapter 3: Secret Crowds, Part I

**Act One, Chapter 3: "Secret Crowds", Part I**

"_If I had my own world_

_I'd love it for all that's inside it_

_There'd be no more wars, death, or riots_

_There's be no more police, packed parking lots_

_Guns, bombs sounding off…"_

"Secret Crowds" by Angels & Airwaves

* * *

Hatake Kakashi was an observant man. Granted, the majority of Konohagakure's population only saw a perverted, silver-haired (or white, depending on who you asked) shinobi that lacked the decency to read his pornography in private (it was their loss, their simple minds would never grasp the intricacies of Jiraya's plot anyway).

However, even the greenest of chunin knew that _nothing_ escaped the man's visible eye; and even less escaped the one hiding under his hitai-ate. So it was not unexpected that the jonin was interested in how Hyuga Hinata's pale eyes followed his copy of _Icha Icha Paradise_ from his hand to his pocket as he put it away so that he could address Naruto.

"_I wonder…"_

"What do you want-" Naruto began before Kakashi silenced him with a raised hand.

"Hinata," Kakashi began, causing the girl to fidget with her fingers before Naruto took one of her hands in his own in an endearing gesture of support, "do you know if Takeshi and Suki have gotten together?" The copy ninja asked, tapping the book concealed in his vest.

Kakashi was rewarded when he saw the Hyuga girl's cheeks turn an impressive shade of red as she slowly nodded her head in affirmation.

"Excellent! Budding love is always enjoyable to read about." Kakashi said with a smile.

"Kakashi-sensei, what the hell do you want at this hour!?" Naruto yelled, finally fed up with being ignored.

"Oh Naruto, I almost forgot. I'm gathering the team for a little 'team meeting.' But before we do that, I figured you and I should discuss your new… development."

Naruto crossed his hands behind the back of his head, _"Time to play it cool, Kakashi-sensei isn't as smart as everyone says he is… yeah, I got this."_

"What are you talking about, Sensei," Naruto asked in the best nonchalant voice he could supply.

Hinata gently tugged Naruto closer so she could whisper in his ear. "Naruto-kun, you are still wearing the bandages around your eyes…"

Kakashi sighed and began before Naruto could fabricate another ridiculous lie. "Naruto, I'll give you an hour to walk Hinata home and say good-bye before I come collect you for our little… chat."

"Fine." Naruto pouted, causing Hinata to giggle lightly.

Kakashi nodded before disappearing in a swirl of leaves.

Naruto turned to Hinata. "I guess the cat's out of the bag, eh Hinata-chan?"

The heiress nodded. "But Kakashi-sensei might be able to help you, Naruto-kun…"

Naruto had to admit that Hinata had a point. Who better to help him than "Sharingan Kakashi," the man who knew over a thousand jutsu?

"I guess so. I'm gonna go get changed, and then we can head to the Hyuga compound, okay?" Naruto said as he rushed off towards his room before the poor girl could even form the words to agree.

Naruto opened his closet and felt around, not being able to see colors was becoming rather annoying. While seeing chakra was neat, it sort of reduced everything to black and white while chakra appeared blue.

Sadly, clothes emitted no chakra.

"Hinata," Naruto called, "Can you come here, I need a favor."

The kunoichi entered the room and looked at Naruto expectantly. "Yes?"

The male genin scratched the back of his head. "Uh… could you grab a shirt out of my closet? Right now it's kinda hard to see colors. If I show up all mismatched, Sasuke and Kakashi-sensei will never let me hear the end of it…"

"O-okay, Naruto-kun." Hinata replied as she walked over to his closet and began to rummage through it. She slid a few orange jackets out of the way in favor of outfitting Naruto in something a bit more comfortable. Her eye caught what appeared to be a form-fitting blue T-shirt that had an orange spiral on the back of it.

Hinata grabbed it off its hanger, and, after a little bit more rummaging, found a black pair of shinobi pants for Naruto to wear.

"Here you are, Naruto-kun," Hinata said as she handed the blond the articles of clothing she picked out before exiting the room to give Naruto his privacy. _"At least now he doesn't have on any orange…"_

Naruto emerged from his room clad in what Hinata had picked out for him, which she had to admit made him look rather fetching. The thought made the young girl infinitely grateful that Naruto could not see the blush she knew was currently coloring her cheeks.

"How do I look?" Naruto asked as he walked over to the blue, female-shaped cloud of chakra he knew to be Hyuga Hinata.

"Y-you look v-very handsome, Naruto-kun."

"Thanks, Hinata-chan!" Naruto exclaimed as he grabbed Hinata's hand and began to lead her to the door. "Well, I guess it's time to get you home!"

With that, the two shinobi left for the Hyuga compound.

* * *

"Stop here, Naruto-kun."

Naruto complied and dropped down with Hinata into an alley across the street from the Hyuga compound's main entrance. "Why here, Hinata-chan? The entrance is around the corner," Naruto stated, indicating said entrance with his index finger.

Hinata blushed as she struggled to supply Naruto with a reasonable explanation as to why they were stopping in an alley, rather than the clan compound's main entrance. "W-well… it's late and I d-don't want the guards to… g-get any… ideas…"

Naruto felt his face heat up as comprehension dawned upon him. "O-oh. I suppose this is good-bye then…"

Hinata couldn't keep the sadness from her voice. "For now, Naruto-kun."

The tone of Hinata's voice was not lost on Naruto. _"I wonder…"_

"Hey Hinata-chan, would you… you know, like to go out with me tomorrow…" Naruto asked. _"Damn it! That didn't come out like it sounded in my head…"_

She didn't even bother to think.

"Yes!"

Naruto couldn't hold back the grin that seeped across his face as he spoke. "Then I'll pick you up at seven," the blond said as he placed a hand on the small of Hinata's back to pull her closer, "Hina-hime." Naruto whispered, causing the young girl in his arms to shudder slightly.

Hinata felt her heart thump wildly against her chest as Naruto leaned down and gently pressed his lips to hers in a soft, loving kiss. As much as she wanted to, Hinata knew that she couldn't stay in the alley with Naruto for much longer. So with a sigh she broke their kiss and looked up at Naruto. "I have to go, Naruto-kun…"

Naruto nodded and placed one last kiss on Hinata's forehead. "Good-bye, Hinata-chan."

"Good-bye, Naruto-kun."

The jinchuuriki watched as the blue mass of chakra that was Hinata rounded the corner of the alley and faded from his field of vision.

"I guess this year's festival wasn't so bad after all…" Naruto muttered as he placed a cigarette on his lips and lit it.

"Asuma would be proud." A voice spoke as Naruto exhaled his first drag.

"Hey Kakashi-sensei, I suppose it's time for our chat…" Naruto said, trying to hide the fact that Kakashi had startled him. _"Damn it, he almost gave me a heart attack!"_

"You are correct, Naruto."

The blond genin took another drag from his cigarette as he turned to face his sensei. "Well, it seems Kyuubi has decided to willingly relinquish his chakra. As a result, I now have a dojutsu… he called it the 'Akuonigan.'"

"_This… this is unexpected…" _"Is that so? I suppose that explains the bandages, then."

"Yeah, my eyes are still adjusting to their new powers, but I think tomorrow morning we'll have to see the Hokage about this…"

"Hmm… I suppose so. But for now, just tell Sasuke and Sakura that you had a training accident."

"When should I tell them the truth? I don't think they'll appreciate me keeping secrets from them… Sakura-chan might get… violent."

"We'll tell them after we've discussed this with the Hokage, I'm sure they'll understand, Naruto. But there's something else I want to ask you…"

"Shoot, Kakashi-sensei."

"What exactly was Hinata doing at your place at this hour?"

Naruto did his best to turn his shocked gasp into a hacking cough. "What… eh hem… what do you mean, Sensei? We were just talking…"

"You don't have to lie to me, Naruto. I'm your sensei, not your father. Although if I was…" Naruto watched as Kakashi pulled out his favorite orange book, "I should probably let you take a look at this. In fact, you and Hinata could read it together!"

"No! I'm not some kind of pervert who's trying to seduce Hinata-chan!"

"_Sometimes this kid's just too easy…"_ "Relax Naruto, I was only joking. You should never be ashamed of what you do or don't do in the privacy of your own home. As a Konoha shinobi you have been granted all the rights and privileges that are associated with adulthood; just remember that by accepting those rights, you have accepted the responsibilities that come with them. So please, wear a condom, Konohagakure no Sato is not equipped to handle the second generation of Uzumaki Naruto…"

"Sensei! We haven't even had sex-"

"-Yet-"

"-And we won't until Hinata-chan is ready!"

"So you're ready?"

Naruto literally felt the wind leave his sails. "I… I never really thought about it like that…"

"When the time does arrive, just remember this little talk we had, okay?"

"Fine."

The jonin smiled as he ruffled Naruto's hair, much to the teen's displeasure. "Good. Now let's go meet the rest of the team; they should be waiting for us by the Memorial Stone."

* * *

Uchiha Sasuke disliked many things. He disliked the foolish girls that threw themselves at him masquerading as kunoichis. He disliked the council pressuring him into taking a bride so that he could begin restoring the Uchiha clan. He disliked the fact that his best friend (if you could even call the pair of them friends) was the loudest person living in all of Hi no Kuni. He disliked the fact that he had yet to unlock his Sharingan's third tomoe, a fact that one Uzumaki Naruto had yet to let him hear the end of.

But what Sasuke _really_ couldn't stand was the fact that his sensei, Hatake Kakashi, was _always_ late.

Always.

As if it wasn't bad enough that his Sensei had woken him up at five in the morning just to inform him that a team meeting was being held in an hour at the Shinobi Memorial Stone, but the man had the nerve to be over two hours late. Not to mention that a certain blond knucklehead had yet to show up as well.

"What do you think is keeping them, Sasuke-kun?"

The Uchiha looked up from his sitting position under a tree adjacent to the stone in order to regard the pink-haired girl standing nervously in front of him.

She was an enigma. Sasuke knew that she was the smartest kunoichi in their class, hell he even knew that her test scores were better than his; she didn't even need to cheat during the first part of the chunin exams, she just solved the problems.

And yet she was disturbingly similar to _them_. For some unfathomable reason she felt the need to act like an idiotic fan girl with a one-track mind whenever she was near him.

Life was never simple for Uchiha Sasuke.

"I'm sure Kakashi-sensei will tell us when he arrives," Sasuke answered as he became aware of the cigarette smoke that was nearing their location, "As for the dobe… he's probably stuffing his face with his precious ramen…"

"Up yours Sasuke-teme!" Called out a voice from behind Sakura.

"Naruto! Where have you been? Sasuke-kun and I have been waiting for over an hour!" The pink haired kunoichi shouted.

"Sorry, Sakura-chan. Kakashi-sensei and I got lost on the path of life," Naruto apologized as a puff of smoke behind him revealed Kakashi.

"Now that everyone's here we can begin," the jonin stated as he lead the way to the Memorial Stone.

"Wait," Sasuke began as he took notice of the bandages covering Naruto's eyes, "What happened to Naruto?"

"Naruto had a training accident and he hurt his eyes. He'll be fine in a day or so." Kakashi answered as Naruto gave an apologetic smile behind his cigarette.

"Okay, but since when do you smoke?" Sakura asked as she eyed the tiny stick in Naruto's mouth with distaste.

The genin in question exhaled another cloud of smoke before looking over in his teammate's direction. "It's been a long day, Sakura-chan…"

Before Sakura could inquire further her sensei spoke up.

"Enough questions for now. Come with me…" Kakashi ordered as he walked up to the memorial stone and indicated that his genins should sit.

The three genin of Team 7 sat on the soft grass that surrounded the Memorial Stone and looked up at their sensei expectantly.

"Who can tell me what I am standing in front of?" The copy-nin asked, not at all surprised to see his only female student begin speaking.

"This is the Shinobi Memorial Stone, every Konoha ninja that dies in battle has their named carved here," Sakura answered for her team.

"Correct as usual, Sakura. As ninja, we accept the fact that this," Kakashi tapped the stone, "is where we will most likely end up. We will become no more than a name etched in stone.

"Ironically, however, nothing is set in stone. All three of you may actually live to see old age, and believe me when I say that I hope you three are among the lucky few that live to see retirement.

"But, I didn't bring you here to talk about retirement. No, I brought you all here to discuss a few names that are carved into this stone. Namely this one," Kakashi said as he pointed to a single name.

Namikaze Minato.

"The Yondaime?" Sasuke asked.

"Yes. I'm sure all three of you know that he is the person responsible for defeating Kyuubi no Yoko, but what you might not know is that he was _my_ jonin sensei."

"_You_ were taught by Konoha no Kiiroi Senko!?" Sakura shouted with the tone of someone whose world had just been defeated in a paradox. _"How the hell could Kakashi-sensei have been trained by the greatest of all Konoha's Hokages!?"_

"Yup," Kakashi answered with a smile. "Minato-sensei taught me and my friends Rin and Uchiha Obito."

"You were on a team with an Uchiha?"

"Yes, Sasuke. In fact, the Sharingan eye I possess used to be Obito's, but he died during the Third Shinobi war. His last request was that his remaining eye be transplanted into me.

"But alas, we once again find ourselves getting off topic. I'll save Rin and Obito for another time, right now I'd like to talk to you three about Minato-sensei. At the end of the chunin exams, there is a chance that two of you will become chunin. However, all _three _of you have shown an incredible amount of growth since that first day we meet on the Academy's roof.

"You met your sensei the same way I met mine, a fresh genin entrusted to a jonin whose reputation preceded him wherever he went. That day my sensei asked me the same questions I asked all of you, and demonstrated by stating that his likes included 'reading, seals, and other advanced techniques,' his dislikes were 'uptight shinobi with superiority complexes,' his dream for the future was 'to one day be Hokage and make Konoha the most prosperous village in all the lands,' and his hobbies included 'jutsu and developing jutsu.'

"At the time, I figured it was the typical answer that any jonin would tell their genin, and decided not to dwell upon it. As you know, during that time, the Third War was being fought and Konoha was deploying the majority of its shinobi to the front lines. It wasn't long before Minato-sensei informed Rin, Obito, and I of our deployment.

"The next day we all shipped off for our tour of duty. I won't bore you with my longwinded war stories, but suffice it to say that war is in fact hell. The four of us all left, but Obito never came back."

The genin watched as Kakashi indicated a line that split in two and linked Minato's name to the two beneath it:

Uchiha Obito and Rin.

"Then what happened," Naruto asked, slightly uncomfortable because of his sensei's sudden open behavior.

"Well, after Obito died, Minato-sensei, Rin, and I completed the mission and returned home. The next night, he called a team meeting just like this one, and hat night the three of us met here and had a talk, just like we are."

"What did Yondaime-sama say?" Sasuke asked.

"That night, Namikaze Minato told Rin and me his dream; not some generic comment you would tell a small child to satisfy their curiosity. That night he told us that his dream was to live to see the day that ninja were no longer needed in this world. He wanted to bring an 'everlasting peace' to this land, he wanted to make this world into one in which violence, hate, and war were nothing but words used to describe the 'way things used to be.'

"It was such a beautiful thing to watch as the greatest shinobi alive confessed that he wanted nothing more than to see the day he was no longer needed in this world. It was such an act of complete selflessness that I honestly had trouble comprehending it. How could any self-respecting shinobi dream for such a day? It distorted what I perceived ninja to be. Ninja were supposed to think of their villages and how to become stronger for their villages.

"Namikaze Minato did not think like others, Minato-sensei thought of the world as a whole, he did not see borders, he did not believe in subjugating the weak, and he did not tolerate hate. Minato-sensei believed that one day all the peoples of this world could live together in peace."

Naruto was the first to speak. "What did you say to that, Sensei?"

Team 7 watched as their sensei's head dropped ever so slightly in shame.

"I told Minato-sensei that his dream would never come true. I told him that people would always breed hate into this world, and I told him that it would only end when this world was finally consumed in all the hate, violence, and death that have plagued it since the dawn of man.

"I lied that night. Looking back on it, what I honestly wanted to say was that no matter how far we went, we'd never get the ones we lost back. We'd never bring Obito back…"

"How did Minato-sama take that?"

Kakashi turned his gaze to the pinkette who spoke. "He just smiled and said that he hoped one day I would change my mind. Unfortunately, Minato-sensei did not live to see the day his dream came true," Kakashi continued, causing Naruto to involuntarily flinch. "The night Yondaime sacrificed his life for our village was the night I changed my outlook. That night I realized that a person's passion and caring for what they love was stronger than all the hate and prejudice in this world could ever hope to be.

"That night I watched as love conquered hate. That was the night I decided to adopt Minato-sensei's dream as my own."

Ignoring Kyuubi's laughter, Naruto thought over what he just heard.

"_So that's Kakashi-sensei's dream, huh? Peace would be nice…" _"So sensei, is that still the goal you strive towards?"

The jonin smiled. "Yup."

"Is that what you wanted to talk to us about, then?" Sasuke asked as he stood.

"You got it. Oh, and I wanted to tell you three something else. Starting on Monday, I will begin training you and Naruto to fight your opponents in the finals, and Sakura will join us as well."

"Yes!" Naruto exclaimed as he shot a fist into the air.

"Idiot," Sasuke scoffed, causing Naruto to scowl in his direction, "Is that all, Sensei?"

"Yes, Sasuke. I'll see you and Sakura on Monday. Naruto, I'll be stopping by tomorrow to check on your injury," The jonin answered before disappearing in a swirl of leaves.

He was soon followed by Sasuke, who, after nodding to his teammates, disappeared in his own swirl of leaves.

"Guess it's just you and me, eh, Sakura-chan?"

"Goodbye, Naruto," Sakura said as she vanished from sight, leaving Naruto standing in the middle of three piles of leaves.

"I gotta learn shunshin one of these days…"

"**Just hurry and get home. I sense that it is time to remove your bandages."**

* * *

It honestly didn't take Naruto very long to arrive at his house, rush to his bathroom mirror, and rip off his bandages. All that was left was to open his eyes and see for himself.

"_God I hope they look bad ass. Then I can rub it in Sasuke-teme's face that my dojutsu is better than his!"_

"**Ha! As if that pathetic boy's Sharingan could ever hope to challenge the power of the Akuonigan. Once you have mastered how to use the Akuonigan and assuming that the burdens it carries don't crush you, you will come to find that very few ninjas possess the strength to challenge your own."**

"_We'll worry about that later. For now, I'm only concerned with how they look."_

"**Then open your eyes."**

Hoping for the best, Naruto obeyed and slowly opened his eyes. However, the first thing he noticed were the crimson lines that ran along the undersides of his eyes and down his cheeks.

Naruto traced the line on the right side of his face from the outer corner of his eye, to the point it ended in just above his jawbone. "That's… new."

"**In addition to your hanyo markings, you'll notice that your canines are slightly longer and that the three whisker marks on your cheeks are now gone, but they will resurface if you use large amounts of my chakra. Furthermore, as you age, some of your features will alter even more, but nothing too noticeable."**

Naruto ignored Kyuubi's words as he began to stare at his eyes. They were nothing like he expected, they didn't spin like Sasuke's, and they weren't as pronounced as Hinata's. Instead, the Akuonigan consisted of two thin crimson bands (the first circled his pupil, while the second circled what used to be the edge of his iris) while the rest of Naruto's eye was completely colored in a dark, ink-black.

They were simple, yet strikingly beautiful to Naruto. In all his life, he had never seen something as dark as his eyes; a darkness that only served to highlight the deep shade of red that comprised the two lines circling his pupil and former iris.

"Wow…" The blond whispered as he leaned closer towards the mirror to get a better look.

"**It seems that your body has in fact finished adjusting. Tomorrow we will begin developing your abilities. For now, keep in mind that at night the red bands in your eyes will glow slightly, so you will have to take extra precautions when you go gallivanting about in the evenings."**

"Duly noted. Is there anything else?"

"**That is all for now. I suggest you rest up and begin planning for tomorrow. You wouldn't want to disappoint 'Hina-hime.'" **Kyuubi chuckled as he receded into Naruto's subconscious.

"Ha ha, laugh it up. I'm honestly more worried about my meeting with the Old Man. I hope he sees things my way and doesn't tell the villagers. If they find out that I'm a hanyo, they'll probably demand my crucifixion…" Naruto joked nervously as he left his bathroom and prepared to finally get some sleep.

There was little doubt in the jinchuuriki's mind that he had a big day ahead of him.

* * *

**A/N:** Hello, I hope you enjoyed the chapter. I'd like to thank everyone who has reviewed and/or favorited this story. You guys are my nspiration... and all that. Keep it up. When I was desribing Naruto's facial markings I was thinking about Jiraiya's, except slightly more curved and a tad shorter. However, Naruto's markings originate where the inside corner or his eye meets the bridge of his nose and cover the underside of his eye as well. As for the Akuonigan, if you really want to see it go to my profile. I'll change my picture to a picture of what gave me the idea. Anyhoo, I hope you enjoyed and I hope you'll review.

Next chapter: **Chapter 4: "First Date"**

-Andrew


	5. Chapter 4: First Date

**Act One, Chapter 4: "First Date"**

"_In the car I just can't wait_

_To pick you up on our very first date_

_Is it cool if I hold your hand?_

_Is it wrong if I think it's lame to dance?_

_Do you like my stupid hair?_

_Would you guess that I didn't know what to wear?_

_I'm just scared of what you think_

_You make me nervous so I really can't eat_

_Let's go_

_Don't wait_

_This night's almost over_

_Honest, let's make_

_This night last forever_

_Forever and ever_

_Let's make this last forever_

_Forever and ever_

_Let's make this last forever"_

"First Date" by blink-182

* * *

"Shinra Tensei."

"HINATA! NO!"

"How foolish of her to try and stop God. Do you see now, Naruto? Do you know pain? "

"Fuck you! When I get out of here I'm gonna show you what pain is, I'M GONNA FUCKING KILL YOU!"

"That isn't going to happen; your bijuu will be extracted and you will die soon after. There is nothing you can do, Naruto."

"Why!? Why the hell are you doing this?"

"For peace, although I don't expect you to understand. Your mind has been deluded by Konohagakure into believing that _you_ are right, that you and your comrades are helping to protect the 'fragile peace' you and your kind believe exists.

"But have you ever stopped to think that _you_ are the problem; have you ever considered the fact that every mission Konoha accepts is in some way helping to fund the coming war?"

"What the hell does that have to do with me!? Every shinobi performs the missions handed down to them by their villages!"

"Correct, Naruto. And what do these missions lead to? Violence, bloodshed, prejudice, hate, and death… but you can put an end to it; all that is required is sacrifice on your part. With the power of the bijuu, Akatsuki and I can put an end to the cycle of suffering… we can stop the pain."

"But this isn't the way! Killing people in the name of peace is still murder! Peace will never come until people are willing to understand each other and set aside their differences; violence begets more violence!"

"That is why I will become God. God will fix this world… God will heal the wounded… God will stop the rain… and the tears of pain will no longer flow.

"But before that happens, the chakra spikes will need to finish draining you of your strength. Then, we can go-"

"N-no… leave N-Naruto-kun alone…"

"Hinata!"

"I see she has survived…"

"Leave her alone! She's defenseless!"

"N-Naruto-kun… I… I'm sorry I wasn't strong enough…"

"No, Hinata!"

"Tamashii Harausaru(Soul Removal)…"

* * *

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!"

Naruto woke up screaming; unfortunately it wasn't in his own bed. After taking a few seconds to calm down, the blond took a moment to regard his surroundings.

"_I guess the nightmare isn't over…"_

"Why have you brought me here?" Naruto asked the beautiful brunette sitting before him.

She was dressed in a white, silk kimono that hugged her ample curves in all the right places, with a blooming red rose tucked behind her left ear.

"_Naruto-kun_," she began as she walked over to the blond shinobi, "can't a girl bring her favorite jinchuuriki home for a friendly chat?"

Naruto felt his cheeks flush as the brunette wrapped her arms around his neck and proceeded to invade his personal space; the wall he was hunched against prevented his retreat.

"Why do you look like this?" He asked as she leaned into him further, her breath dancing across his ear.

"Naruto-kun," she whispered with a giggle, "_in here_ I can be whatever I want to be. And besides… I saw the way you looked at me…"

Naruto was too distracted to notice the young woman take hold of his hands, and only when he heard the click of a lock and felt the metal on his wrists did he notice that his hands had been bound above his head.

"Kyuubi, what the hell!?"

"Oh come on, Naruto-kun… if you play, I'll answer some of your questions," Kyuubi pouted as she (she was a she, right?) ran her hands over Naruto's chest.

A troubled sigh escaped the jinchuuriki's mouth before he spoke. "Fine. For starters, what the hell is up with that nightmare?"

Kyuubi let out an amused chuckle. "It's another 'gift,' Naruto-kun. That was a nightmare from the future that will never be."

"So it'll keep happening?"

The girl nodded. "Every so often tiny glimpses of the destiny you escaped will flitter into your dreams." Kyuubi answered as she moved her hands to grip Naruto's thighs.

The immobilized shinobi was disgusted with himself for failing to prevent his body from… _reacting_ to Kyuubi's touch.

"I see. Then what else did you want to discuss with me?"

Kyuubi took notice of the bulge in Naruto's pants and leaned in closer. "Naughty, naughty, Naruto-kun. I could help you with this…"

"Don't touch me! I could never be attracted to you! Just tell me whatever the hell it is you wanted to say and leave me alone!"

The demon moved her hand to cup the bulge in Naruto's pants. "Your body betrays you. I could help you relieve your plight, Naruto-kun…"

The genin struggled fruitlessly against his bonds, before sighing in defeat. "Please don't, Kyuubi… just… just stop, please."

"Or perhaps you'd prefer," Kyuubi paused as she henged into Hinata, "me."

"Why are you doing this?" Naruto asked while wincing; Kyuubi was applying more pressure than necessary…

"Why? Because you need to remember your place, Naruto-_kun_," Kyuubi-Hinata answered, spitting out the honorific like phlegm. "Without me you would be _nothing_, destined to die like the rest of your pathetic race. But, because the Yondaime sealed me away, we will be forced to live out the remainder of our wretched existences… _together_." Again Kyuubi spat out the final word with as much disdain as possible, something that sounded horribly out of place coming from Hinata's mouth.

"I understand… Kyuubi-sama." Naruto answered, and was relieved when Kyuubi released the pressure on his nether regions and removed the Hinata henge.

"Good," Kyuubi responded as she moved to remove the shackles binding Naruto's wrists to the wall. "Before you wake, however, I'd like to teach you a jutsu for behaving like a good little jinchuuriki."

The atmosphere changed immediately. "Really!?"

The brunette giggled. "Yes, Naruto-kun. It's called 'Yodan no Jutsu,' it is your first Yoton technique. These are the hand seals."

Naruto watched as Kyuubi flipped through a few seals: tiger, ram, snake, tiger, and finally dragon.

"Try it for yourself, Naruto-kun."

"Naruto nodded and stood. After going through the seals, Naruto held his hand to his mouth and shouted "Yoton: Yodan no Jutsu!" (Lava Release: Lava Bullet Jutsu)

The jinchuuriki and his bijuu watched as a stream of lava pellets erupted from Naruto's mouth and peppered the wall in front of him.

"Not bad for a first attempt," Kyuubi critiqued as she began to fade, "but nowhere near as powerful as it should be; work on your chakra control Naruto…"

Naruto nodded as Kyuubi faded from sight and he began to wake up.

* * *

"Fuck…" Naruto muttered as he pulled off his walrus nightcap and walked over to water his bonsai tree and feed his goldfish. "Morning guys…"

The blond shinobi then walked into his bathroom, briefly stopping at his mirror to admire his new… features, before hopping into the shower. Fifteen minutes later, Uzumaki Naruto was out the door, clad in his usual attire and a pair of black sunglasses he found in his closet.

The genin quickly made his way to the shinobi weapons shop near his house.

The old owner looked up as he heard his bell ring and quickly identified his customer as the one he had dubbed "the loud one."

"What's it gonna be today?"

"Well-"

"**No orange."**

"_WHAT!? Not you too! Why can't anyone recognize orange's superiority?"_

"**Idiot! Why do you insist on wearing that offensive color? Acquire something… darker. If you are going to train under me, you will look the part."**

"_But-"_

"**No! Choose something more fitting."**

"Well kid, whaddya want?"

"I'll need some shinobi pants, for starters…"

The man nodded. "Color?"

Naruto absent mindedly toyed with the zipper on his jacket before muttering out a strangled "Black."

The man jotted it down on his notepad before stepping around the counter to take Naruto's measurements. "What else?"

"Some sandals, size eleven, black. And I'll need a shirt… red sounds good, preferably something form fitting."

Again the man nodded and jotted Naruto's request down before moving to measure the boy's upper body. "Next."

"Uh… I'll take a coat, kinda like the one I'm wearing, but black."

The old man shuffled off to a rack near the back of the store and returned with a black jacket that had a red stripe running down its right sleeve. "How about this?"

Naruto was on the verge of saying "yes" when he remembered the bracer on his right arm.

"Do you have one without sleeves, like a vest?"

The man took the jacket back and promptly returned with a sleeveless, knee-length black coat.

"That's perfect," Naruto exclaimed before a stroke of inspiration struck him, "But could you perhaps have it embroidered?"

"With what?" The old man asked, pencil at the ready.

"On the back could you stitch out the kanji for 'Konoha no Akuma' in red?"

The man slowly looked up from his pad to take note of "the loud one." After a few seconds, all the pieces fell into place as the old man realized who the boy in front of him was; he promptly erupted into a fit of laughter. "Ha ha ha! You've sure got some balls, kid! That's gonna drive a whole bunch of people up the wall!"

Naruto grinned like a boy who was just promised an especially sweet treat. "I do what I can."

"Tell you what, the coat is on the house, and, if the villagers don't kill you, anything else you buy from here is half off!"

"Thanks old man!"

"No problem, kid. Now is there anything else I can help you with?"

Another grin crept across the blond jinchuuriki's face. "Do you sell masks?"

* * *

Fifteen minutes later, Naruto walked out of the store with a much skinnier Gamma-chan, clad in his new clothes, sans the mask which would be delivered to his house later in the day.

"Nice threads."

"Thanks, Kakashi-sensei." _"Gah! How the hell does he do that!?"_

"Hmm… you never struck me as a 'red' person; I always assumed you were devoted to the color orange," The lazy jonin remarked.

"Well," Naruto began as he scratched the back of his head, "I suppose I felt like a change, ya know?"

Kakashi smiled as he once again ruffled Naruto's hair. "Kids. Some things never change."

"Yeah, yeah," Naruto mumbled as he removed his hair from Kakashi's grasp. "Is it time to go meet the Hokage?"

"Indeed it is, Naruto." Kakashi answered as he pulled out a bright, orange book and began to walk towards the Hokage's tower.

"So Naruto," Kakashi spoke as he turned a page with his thumb, "how has your day been?"

"Well, I bought some new clothes, and after our meeting with Sandaime, I'm going to go prepare for my date with Hinata-chan!"

"A date, huh? Congratulations, Naruto."

"Thanks, Sensei!"

"So what have you got planned?"

"I'll definitely take her to dinner, but I'm not quite sure what I'm going to do after that," Naruto explained as he starred daggers at a man who had whispered "demon" as he passed by.

The act did not go unnoticed by Kakashi, who slowly raised his hitai-ate to reveal his Sharingan while sending a wave of killer intent out towards the man, causing him to yelp and scamper off in fear.

"Thanks, Sensei," Naruto muttered, his spirits somewhat dampened.

"No problem." Kakashi replied as he lowered his hitai-ate.

The two continued on in silence until they found themselves standing in the Hokage's office.

"Kakashi! Naruto! To what do I owe this unexpected pleasure?" Sarutobi asked politely, interest peaked by Naruto's change in wardrobe.

Kakashi walked up to the door and preformed a sound barrier jutsu before beginning. "There has been a development, Hokage-sama…"

"With Naruto?"

"Hai. Naruto, take off your glasses."

The genin complied, and Sarutobi was shocked to find himself starring into a pair of inky-black eyes containing a quartet of red rings.

"_Things are never easy, are they Minato? Hmmm… those markings, they remind me of Jiraiya and Orochimaru…"_ "Would you care to explain, Naruto?"

"Sure thing, Old Man! It's a dojutsu called the 'Akuonigan…'"

And so Sarutobi Hiruzen sat and listened to the boy's explanation about Kyuubi's plan, the potential of the Akuonigan, the attack that was avoided, and Naruto's untimely death.

The Hokage sighed and took out his pipe and lit it with a bit of chakra manipulation, but he did not expect the young genin in front of him to pull out a cigarette and light it as well. "Naruto, since when do you smoke?"

"I started a few months ago, it helps with stress."

The Hokage chuckled as he exhaled the smoke from his lungs. "That it does, that it does. So Naruto, what kinds of chakra can you use?"

"Lava, wood, ice, and crystal." Naruto counted, ticking off each element with a finger.

"I see. Do you have any experience with these types of manipulation?"

"Yeah, I know one Yoton jutsu, Yodan no Jutsu."

"I suppose it is a start. I'm not sure yet what to do about teaching you Shoton, Hyoton, or anymore Yoton, but I know of a Mokuton master in the village. I will have him meet you on Monday when Kakashi begins training you and your team.

"As for all you've told me about Kyuubi and the Akuonigan, it is now an S-class secret. If anyone asks, you are to tell them that it is a kekkei genkai. However, your teammates are the exception; you may tell them the truth when you deem it necessary."

Naruto blew out a stream of smoke. "You got it old man."

"Good, you're both dismissed."

"Hai, Hokage-sama," Kakashi waved before disappearing in a swirl of leaves.

"Naruto," Sarutobi called as the blond was halfway out the door.

"Yeah?"

"Good luck in the finals."

"Thanks, Old Man."

"_His news is troubling. Jiraiya's sources have reported increased activity between Amegakure and Kumogakure; I'll need to send him back out to gather more information as soon as possible. I fear that the future Naruto foretold may be unavoidable… but if we begin to take steps now, perhaps we can turn the tides and win the coming war…" _

* * *

Naruto stood outside the Uchiha Clan Compound's main gates, wringing his wrists as he waited for Sasuke to answer his knock.

"_I gotta tell him, he needs to know. I gotta tell him, God I hope he isn't too pissed… God I hope he doesn't hate me. I-"_

"Naruto?" The drastic change in wardrobe prevented Sasuke from instantly recognizing his usually orange-clad teammate.

"Sasuke! Hey, uh… can I come in, there's something we need to talk about…"

The young Uchiha didn't like the vibe he was getting from his blond friend, but decidedly ignored it and silently motioned for Naruto to follow him in. The raven-haired boy lead Naruto to a shaded sitting area located just outside of a large rock garden.

"Nice garden, Sasuke. It's really beautiful," Naruto remarked as he sat down on one of the flat rocks that afforded visitors a place to rest and relax.

"Thanks, dobe. But something tells me that you didn't come all this way to admire some well arranged stones."

"Right as always, teme. I actually needed to talk to you about that eye injury I suffered…"

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "Unless those markings on your face are trails of blood, your injury looks fine to me."

Naruto let out a nervous chuckle. "Yeah, well… it turns out that I wasn't actually injured."

Sasuke was beginning to lose patience, but his instincts told him to let Naruto go at his own pace. "Is that so?"

Naruto swallowed as he attempted to overcome his first hurdle. "Yeah. It turns out that it was a dojutsu manifesting itself…" He'd have laughed at the shocked look on Sasuke's face if he wasn't in such a serious situation.

"You… you have a dojutsu!?"

"Yeah, it's called the 'Akuonigan.'" Naruto answered, revealing his black eyes to the stunned Uchiha.

"Congratulations," Sasuke awkwardly offered, the strain of remaining calm evident in every syllable he spoke, "Having a kekkei genkai means you must come from a powerful clan." _"God I hope that sounded better than I thought it did…"_

Naruto swallowed. _"Second hurdle."_ "Actually, the Akuonigan isn't a kekkei genkai; it's a side effect of having the Kyuubi no Yoko sealed inside of me." _"Better to just get it out; all that cryptic shit drives Sasuke up the wall."_

To his credit, Sasuke did not immediately begin yelling at Naruto. In fact, he did something quite uncharacteristic: Uchiha Sasuke threw his head back as a loud laugh escaped him.

"W-what's so funny?" Naruto asked nervously. Out of the hundreds of scenarios the blond shinobi ran through his head before knocking on the compound's gate, this particular one did not come up. But a laughing Sasuke was good, right?

Right?

"Now it all makes sense," Sasuke answered as the laughter died away, "When I was a boy, my father made me _promise_ that I wouldn't associate with you. He told me that you were 'street trash unworthy of my regard.'"

Naruto felt his anger bubble up at Sasuke's words. "And what's so funny about that, teme?" the boy demanded.

"Because, _dobe_, it means I was tricked just like the rest of the idiots in this village. All my childhood my father fed me a lie… _and I believed it_. But what I find puzzling is why you chose to tell me? You could have easily lied and passed off the Akuonigan as a kekkei genkai, but you didn't. Why?"

Naruto sighed as he lifted his head to meet Sasuke's gaze. "I told you because you deserve to know. I figured when you found out, you'd just hate me like the rest do. A-and if that was going to happen, I wanted it to be over with now…"

"Naruto, while we aren't exactly the… closest… of friends, we are friends," Sasuke began, cursing how foreign the words rolling off his lips sounded, "and a man's business is his own business. Your secrets are yours to keep until you deem it fit to divulge them, though I do appreciate your honesty, Naruto."

Naruto swallowed the lump in his throat. "Thanks, Sasuke… it means a lot to know you've got my back."

The Uchiha smirked as they stood. "Well, it would be boring if it was just me and Sakura training with Kakashi-sensei…"

"I guess it would…" Naruto chuckled.

"Are you going to tell her, too?"

"Yeah… when we start training."

Sasuke nodded and began leading Naruto to the gates before he was stopped by the blond jinchuuriki.

"Oh yeah, check out this new jutsu I learned!"

"Wait, we should go to the lake… I'm assuming whatever it is you've learned is either loud, destructive, or both."

Naruto's demonic grin only confirmed Sasuke's suspicions.

* * *

Uzumaki Naruto entered his apartment with an aura of smugness.

"_The look on Sasuke's face when I showed I could manipulate lava was priceless… it was almost as good as the look he gave me when I told him it couldn't be copied by the Sharingan… heh heh."_

Naruto proceeded to enter his room and withdraw a small, black book from his nightstand. Taking it over to his desk, he proceeded to write in it:

_Akuonigan__: _

_Classification: Dojutsu_

_Rank: S (?)_

_Abilities: Lava, ice, crystal, and wood manipulation (at the cost of preventing the user from wielding any other forms of chakra manipulation). Others (?)_

_Yoton: Yodan no Jutsu__:_

_Classification: Offensive ninjutsu_

_Rank: B(?)_

_Description: Releases a steady stream of lava bullets; amount of chakra used determines duration and strength._

Satisfied with himself, Naruto set down his pen and book and walked over to his closet.

"_Now… what should I wear for my date with Hinata-chan?"_

Swinging the doors open, Naruto immediately reached for one of the orange jackets hanging in front of him, but stopped.

"_Hmm… maybe something else. I don't really own anything too fancy, but I don't think I'll need to dress like that anyway. I think this'll do."_ Naruto thought as he withdrew a pair of black shinobi pants intended for casual wear. To the untrained eye the pants appeared as nothing more than something one would wear when going out, but these pants were lined with several hidden pockets capable of holding shuriken, kunai, and scrolls.

"_Just in case…"_

Satisfied with his choice in pants, Naruto pulled a navy blue button down shirt off its hanger before shutting his closet door. The jinchuuriki then proceeded to strip off his new clothes, taking great care to fold them, and hop in the shower. A few minutes later, Naruto toweled off and dressed in the clothes he picked out and inspected himself in the bathroom mirror.

"Hmm… perhaps I need a second opinion. Kage Bunshin no Jutsu." At the words, a second Naruto poofed into existence.

"How do I look?" Naruto asked, noting that his doppelganger did not possess the Akuonigan. _"I'll worry about that later…"_

"Not too bad, Boss. The red in your eyes and on your cheeks kinda compliments the blue from your shirt. Hell, I'd fuck you," the clone answered with a suggestive wink.

"Ha ha." Naruto deadpanned.

The clone draped an arm over Naruto and lowered his voice conspiratorially. "Seriously though, what are the chances of us getting laid tonight, Boss?"

The Kyuubi container blushed furiously. "What the hell kind of question is that!?"

"Don't blame me, Boss. I might be able to think for myself, but I'm still a part of you. That means your memories are my memories. So whatever _I_ feel for Hinata _you_ feel for Hinata, and vice versa." The clone explained as he led Naruto out of his bathroom.

"I see. But why do you have a distinct personality?" Naruto questioned as the clone continued to drag him towards the door leading out of his apartment.

"I'm not quite sure, I am what I am. I'm you, just reacting to a different situation."

"'Different situation?'"

"Yeah, Boss. Think about it: we are the same person, but you are going on a date, our _first_ date to be exact, and I am watching a poor, nervous adolescent try make everything perfect for his 'Hinata-chan.' All my actions mean is that if our roles were reversed, you'd find _my_ predicament funny as hell." The clone explained.

Naruto allowed the clone's speech to sink in before reaching his conclusion. "You're pretty damn smart."

The clone smiled as he opened the door for Naruto. "_We're_ pretty damn smart." He corrected before poofing out of existence.

* * *

"How may I help you?"

Naruto gulped as the stern-looking Hyuga guard eyed him questioningly. "Uh… I'm here to pick up Hinata…"

"Ah. Hinata-sama told us you would be stopping by. Please follow me, Uzumaki-san."

The Hyuga guard led Naruto to a sitting room and informed him that a servant would be sent to inform Hinata of his arrival.

"_Whew, so far so good. For a minute I thought they weren't gonna let me in."_

"Uzumaki-san, to what do I owe this pleasure?"

Naruto whipped around to find Hyuga Hiashi standing a few feet in front of him. "Hiashi-sama! I-I'm… I'mheretotakeyourdaughteroutonadate!" The jinchuuriki blurted out.

Hiashi quirked an eyebrow questioningly. "I beg your pardon?"

The jinchuuriki took a calming breath and tuned out Kyuubi's laughter at his predicament. "I said that I am here to take your daughter out for the evening, Hiashi-sama."

The Hyuga clan head's eyes widened slightly. "I see… Follow me to the gardens, Uzumaki-san."

Too scared to even care that Hiashi ordered him, rather than ask, Naruto followed silently as the clan leader walked over to a door and slid it open to reveal a stunningly beautiful flower garden.

"Over here." Hiashi said as he led Naruto down a cobblestone path that ended at a wooden gazebo. "Before we discuss whether or not you'll be permitted to take my daughter out, I have a few questions for you, Uzumaki-san."

Naruto just nodded dumbly.

"The markings on your face and the color of your eyes, they were not present the last time I saw you running about the village."

"_Shit, Hiashi must've seen me running from those ANBU after I tagged the Hokage Monument…" _"Um, I have a dojutsu called the Akuonigan… I got it from… you know; the marks, too…"

Hiashi nodded. "I will keep this between us. I assume Hinata knows?"

"Yes, sir. She was with me when it manifested."

"What are your intentions with my daughter, Uzumaki?"

"What!? I mean… I'm just taking her out for the evening, and, if Hinata agrees, I'd like to continue seeing her, sir."

The Hyuga leader sighed. "I never really liked you, Uzumaki," Naruto felt an uncomfortable weight begin tugging at his heart, "but I have always respected what you do for this village by bearing the burden no one else wishes to bear. Furthermore, for some reason that is beyond me, Hinata has taken a liking to you. I won't betray her privacy, but suffice it to say that I did not need the Byakugan to see this coming.

"My daughter has had a trying life, I suppose it began when her mother passed, but to her credit she has not let it ruin her gentle nature. She somehow manages to care about those closest to her. In retrospect, I fear that sometimes I have been too hard on her… I worry that I am the source of many of the tears she has cried at night. But the one thing that can always bring a smile to her face is you, Uzumaki-san."

"M-me?"

"Yes. I don't know what it is you've done, but the thought of you always manage to put a smile on Hinata's face. As such I expect you to protect her from anything that wishes her harm, whether it be an enemy of the village, or an enemy _within_."

Naruto felt his resolve steel as he bowed to Hiashi. "I will protect her, Hiashi-sama… with my life if necessary."

Hinata's soft calls of "Naruto-kun?" could be heard coming down the garden path.

Hiashi chuckled as he gave Naruto a gentle push forward. "I believe I've taken enough of your time…"

"Hai." Naruto answered before heading towards Hinata's voice.

"Naruto," Hiashi called, causing the genin to stop and turn around, "If you treat Hinata as anything less than the princess she is, I will know, and you will suffer my… displeasure."

It took all of Hiashi's self control to suppress the grin that threatened to surface as Naruto nodded fervently and quickened his pace down the garden path. _"I wish you could be here for this, Hanna… you would be so happy."_

* * *

Hinata was scared. When she told the guards to lead Naruto to the guest sitting room, she never thought he would run into her father. The very thought of those two alone with each other made the young girl shudder with fear. _"Oh God, please let them get along… father is probably mad that I didn't tell him about my date."_ This line of thought brought about an entirely new problem.

"_What if he forbids me from dating Naruto-kun!?"_ Hinata quickened her pace looking left and right for any sign of her father or her date. As the heiress pondered whether or not she should use her Byakugan she suddenly found herself slamming into a large obstruction, an obstruction that wrapped firm arms around her to stop her from falling.

"Hinata-chan! I was just coming to find you!"

The lavender eyed teen looked up and found herself face to face with her date. "N-Naruto-kun?" _"Oh God, he must think I'm an idiot!"_

"The one and only! So… are you ready to head out?"

"Y-yes, Naruto-kun." Hinata hated the stutter that fell out of her mouth, but was too distracted by Naruto to care. The blond looked strikingly handsome with his button down shirt, the navy blue matching smartly with his dark pants. Then there were his eyes, the blackest of black surrounding two softly glowing red rings; Hinata found them mesmerizing, along with the red that underlined his eyes and ran down to his jaw.

"Naruto-kun… your eyes, they're beautiful," Hinata admitted in a breathless whisper, causing Naruto to blush furiously. It only served to make him more endearing to Hinata.

"Thank you, Hinata-chan, you look beautiful as well." Naruto took note of her attire, his date was wearing a dark purple yukata, tied closed with a black obi. The purple cotton was patterned with swirl of white flowers that originated near the bottom of Hinata's right leg and flowed upwards, wrapping around the left side of her body.

She was the most beautiful thing Naruto had ever seen.

"And as much as I'd love to stand here with you enjoying the gardens, I think we should get going." Naruto suggested, offering his arm to Hinata.

"O-okay." The heiress consented, taking her date's arm and allowing him to escort her out of the Hyuga estate

* * *

"Naruto-kun! And," the young woman paused upon noticing the pretty young girl shyly sitting next to her father's best customer, "who is this?"

"Ayame-neechan, I'd like you to meet Hyuga Hinata… she's my date for this evening."

"It is nice to meet you, Ayame-san," The girl replied with a smile and small bow of her head.

"Likewise, Hinata. Well, well Naruto-kun I didn't know you had it in you." Ayame began, deciding to have a little fun with the two teens. "You'd better treat her right, Naruto, and keep your hands where I can see them."

"_They're so cute when they're young,"_ Ayame reminisced as she watched a pair of ruby red blushes color the cheeks of her two customers.

"Now, what can I get for you two?"

"I'll have a large pork with eggs, carrots and naruto. Hinata?"

"I will have a small miso."

"Coming right up!" Ayame smiled as she went to the kitchen to begin preparing the order.

Hinata was having the time of her life sitting with Naruto in the cozy little ramen stand, apart from Naruto's meeting with her father (something that she lacked the courage to ask about, though she had an inkling as to what it concerned), nothing had gone wrong. The walk to Ichiraku Ramen was shared in companionable silence, giving Hinata plenty of opportunities to covertly observe Naruto and take in his appearance.

The young woman still could not believe how different the blond jinchuuriki looked without his usual orange coat and pants, not that she minded Naruto's eccentric taste in clothing, but to someone possessing the Byakugan orange appeared more… vibrant than usual. But Naruto looked so different now, dressed in casual black pants and dark blue shirt. Although Hinata suspected that Naruto's pants contained a number of hidden pockets for him to hide a few ninja tools in.

Then there were his eyes… those eyes, they looked so beautiful when they glowed in the dark. Like pools of ink, deep black pools that had seen so much in their short existence, they made Hinata feel as if Naruto could see into her very soul and read her like book; the Hyuga heiress knew that Naruto's eyes could see things that escaped even her all-seeing Byakugan.

"Here you go, kids." Ayame said as she placed two bowls of ramen in front of Hinata and Naruto.

"Thank you." The two genin chorused as they each grabbed a pair of chopsticks and tucked into their meal.

"So Hinata, what do you think?" Naruto asked after she had taken her first few bites.

"It is delicious, Naruto-kun!" Hinata praised, before swallowing another bite of noodles with an uncharacteristic slurping sound.

"That's 'cuz Old Man Ichiraku makes the best ramen in Konoha! Speaking of him, where is he Ayame?"

"Father went to go pick up a shipment of ingredients in a neighboring village," Ayame explained as she set two cups of tea down in front of the young couple.

"Awww… that's a shame." Naruto pouted. Although he wouldn't admit out loud, he wanted to prove to Teuchi that he was in fact capable of getting a date; the old bastard had ridiculed him mercilessly the last time he witnessed Sakura turn Naruto down by delivering a devastating right hook to his jaw.

"I'll be sure to tell him you stopped by, Naruto-kun." Ayame promised before going back to tend to the newest batch of noodles.

Soon the two teens found themselves done with their meal and ready to leave. "So how much do I owe you, Ayame-neechan?" Naruto asked as he pulled out Gamma-chan from his pocket.

"Your total is 17 ryo, Naruto-kun."

Naruto handed Ayame the spoken amount and deposited a slightly skinnier Gamma-chan into his pocket, only to turn and find Hinata attempting to hide her giggle behind one of her hands.

"What's so funny, Hinata-chan?"

"It's your wallet. Gamma-chan looks so cute." Hinata explained between giggles, until Naruto gently grasped the hand she held over her mouth and plied it away.

"When you do that, I can't see you smile, Hinata-chan."

From her place at the cash register, Ayame couldn't help but smirk. _"Oooh, very good Naruto-kun, very good!"_

Hinata swallowed nervously as she felt her face heat up. "Um… I…"

Naruto smirked as he leaned in to place a soft kiss on Hinata's cheek. "Are you ready to leave, Hinata-chan?"

She could only nod silently as Naruto grasped her hand in his and led her to their next destination.

* * *

Looking back on her short life, Hyuga Hinata could not recall a time where she ever felt this happy. Naruto had whisked her away from the clan compound and took her out to experience something she would never forget.

When the night began, Hinata honestly hadn't expected much. Not to say that she wasn't excited to the point of uncontrollable nervousness, the young girl was just simply aware that neither she nor Naruto were very experienced in the field of dating. The Hyuga heiress had expected dinner, that was a part of nearly every date, but instead of bringing her to some stuffy, high-end restaurant, Naruto brought her to a tiny little ramen stand so they could eat in peace. Hinata was deeply flattered that he brought her to his favorite eatery in all of Konoha; it meant so much to her that he was willing to share this small part of who he was with her.

And then he told her not to hide her smile from him… he actually enjoyed seeing her happy! Hinata was never the most confident of people, so the knowledge that someone found her physically attractive and felt her happiness as his own was a rare, precious thing she was not entirely used to… but it was definitely something she could grow accustomed to.

But again Naruto surprised her by leading her to Konoha's newly renovated park for a "romantic stroll in the twilight," Hinata couldn't help but smile at the grandiose way Naruto had informed her of said stroll in the park.

The park itself oozed romance; the lanterns lining the park's many paths were lit and basking those present in a soft glow while fireflies and other insects buzzed about and the last few rays of sunlight peaked out from behind the horizon, blending beautifully the purple and orange streaked sky above.

"So Hinata-chan, are you enjoying yourself this evening?" Naruto asked with mock formality.

"Why yes, yes I am, Naruto-kun." Hinata replied with equal formality, although the smile tugging at her lips ruined the effect.

Naruto chuckled before pulling her just a little bit closer. "I'm glad to hear it. So what does Hyuga Hinata do in her free time, hmmm?"

"She tends to her garden, mixes her salves, and practices her drawing." Hinata answered happily, enjoying the idle conversation with Naruto.

"I never knew you were an artist, Hinata-chan. What do you like to draw?"

"Landscape mostly, I don't draw people very often. But what does Uzumaki Naruto do to occupy his free time?"

"Well, I train mostly. I suppose I'll have to do plenty more now that I have to learn a whole new set of jutsu." Naruto answered. "Although I have been known to play a few pranks every now and again," he added with a wink.

The pair continued like this, absorbed in idle chatter with the purpose of simply learning more about one another, until a round of applause caught their attention. Interests peaked, the two shinobi decided to investigate the source of clapping.

The genin couple came across a crowd of people gathered around what appeared to be a local band giving a free performance for the patrons of Konoha Park. The practice was not uncommon, you never knew when someone would come by and like what they heard; at the very least a band just starting out could gain a few new fans.

Under closer scrutiny, Naruto determined that the band consisted of three people: one young man was singing and playing an acoustic guitar, the second was playing a second acoustic guitar, while the third member had a large pair of bongos set in front of him.

"Would you like to stay and hear a song or two, Hinata-chan?"

"Yes!" The girl replied eagerly. "I never really get the chance to enjoy music at home… father frowns upon it…"

"Then enjoy the show, Hinata-chan." Naruto answered as he slipped his arm around Hinata's waist, pulling her closer to him.

The lavender-eyed kunoichi sighed in content as she leaned her head against the side of Naruto's chest and waited for the band to begin.

Everyone watched as the drummer began slapping his bongos in a steady rhythm and was soon joined by the second guitarist who began fervently plucking at the several strings on his guitar while his fingers danced about the frets. Soon after the singer began a gentle up and down stroke on his instrument and began singing.

"_Everything's so blurry_

_And everyone's so fake_

_And everybody's empty_

_And everything is so messed up._

_Preoccupied without you_

_I cannot live at all_

_My whole world surrounds you_

_I stumble then I crawl_

_You could be my someone_

_You could be my scene_

_You know that I'll protect you_

_From all of the obscene_

_I wonder what you're doing_

_Imagine where you are_

_There's oceans in between us_

_But that's not very far_

_Can you take it all away _

_Can you take it all away _

_When ya shoved it in my face _

_This pain you gave to me_

_Can you take it all away_

_Can you take it all away_

_When ya shoved it in my face_

_Everyone is changing_

_There's no one left that's real_

_So make up your ending_

_And let me know just how you feel_

_'Cause I am lost without you_

_I cannot live at all_

_My whole world surrounds you_

_I stumble then I crawl_

_You could be my someone_

_You could be my sea_

_You know that I will save you_

_From all of the unclean_

_I wonder what you're doing_

_I wonder where you are_

_There's oceans in between us_

_But that's not very far_

_Can you take it all away _

_Can you take it all away _

_When ya shoved it in my face _

_This pain you gave to me_

_Can you take it all away_

_Can you take it all away_

_When ya shoved it in my face_

_This pain you gave to me_

_Nobody told me what you thought_

_Nobody told me what to say_

_Everyone showed you where to turn_

_Told you where to runaway_

_Nobody told you where to hide_

_Nobody told you what to say_

_Everyone showed you where to turn_

_Showed you where to runaway_

_Can you take it all away _

_Can you take it all away _

_When ya shoved it in my face _

_This pain you gave to me_

_Can you take it all away_

_Can you take it all away_

_When ya shoved it in my face_

_This pain you gave to me_

_This pain you gave to me_

_You take it all_

_You take it all away..._

_This pain you gave to me_

_You take it all away_

_This pain you gave to me_

_Take it all away_

_This pain you gave"_

The crowd erupted in another round of applause as the band played its final note. Naruto just looked down at the smiling princess in his arms and gave her a gentle squeeze with his arm. She had found him in that alley, alone and hating himself. But the beautiful angel next to him had come and taken all the hurt away… she swooped in and gave him nothing but love.

Naruto smiled as he cupped the side of Hinata's face with his free hand and brought her in for another kiss.

* * *

"I had a wonderful time, Naruto-kun," Hinata whispered as she nuzzled her face into Naruto's chest.

"Me too, Hinata-chan, me too." The blond whispered back as he rested his head atop Hinata's. After the concert ended, Naruto had escorted Hinata back to her home and they now stood saying their good byes just outside of the Main House's family quarters.

"But we can meet tomorrow, if you want. I was planning on training before I have to start training with Kakashi-sensei and Team 7 again and I'd be more than happy to have you join me." Naruto offered.

"I'd love to, Naruto."

"Great!" Naruto beamed. "Meet me at training ground seven tomorrow at ten o' clock!"

"I'll be there!" Hinata answered before leaning up to plant a soft kiss on Naruto's lips and rushing off inside.

Naruto could only smile as he watched her slender form retreat into her home; the blond shinobi let out a sigh, pulled a cigarette from his pocket and lit it as he began to walk towards the compound's main gate.

"Today was the greatest." Naruto said to no one in particular as he exhaled a puff of smoke.

"You won't be able to put up too much of a fight if you develop lung cancer, Uzumaki-san," a cold, sneering voice called out as Naruto made his way past the large gates.

"You know that you're fucked, right?" Naruto asked the genin crouching on the gate behind him.

"Is that so? You'll understand if I have trouble believing that this year's 'dead last' is going to beat me," Neji replied as he hopped down behind Naruto.

"I'm afraid it is so, Hyuga. I am going to make you pay for what you did to Hinata." Naruto declared calmly.

"She was weak, and a fool to oppose me; she got what she deserved. It would have been doing her a favor if I had killed her that day and saved her the shame of being discarded like trash when this clan grows tired of her weakness. She will always be-" Neji's voice died off when he felt the wave of killer intent roll over him.

"_What has changed in Uzumaki!?"_

"**Know this Hyuga Neji,"** Naruto warned as he turned to face his opponent, canines bared, claws extended, and blood-red chakra leaking from his eyes like burning hellfire, **"I will not rest until we meet in the finals and I snap your wings, **_**little**__**bird**_**. And no one will stop me until I've wrung your neck with my bare hands."**

Naruto walked away from a stunned and frightened Neji and headed home while a voice only he could hear whispered sweet nothings into his ear.

"_Good, Naruto-kun, good. Use my power to make them _fear_ you… make them _respect_ you… make them treat you like you're somebody…"_

All Naruto could do is shudder in disgust as Kyuubi took his dream and slapped him in the face with it.

* * *

A/N: Sorry for the wait, but I kept rewriting this, and even now I'm not too sure about it... that and finals. I will need input for a little dilemma that I am having: how would you all like jutsu typed up. Do you want it in english, or japanese with translations? And if you want translations do you want them right after the jutsu, or in the author's note? Secondly, I chose the song "Blurry" (by Puddle of Mudd) for a specific reason, not just to flaunt my musical tastes; this will be important later, so tuck it away somewhere safe. Also, I made the ryo equivalent to the dollar, so Naruto spent 17 bucks on his date. Rest assured when I go on dates I spend much more than that, 'cuz I'm small and insecure on the inside, and flinging money around makes me feel big. Anywhoo, everyone who reads this should review, because then I'd feel all good on the inside.

Do it, I'll wait....

Good, I look forward to your feed back, and yes, I've begun on the next chapter.

-Andrew


	6. Chapter 5: Wait and Bleed

**Act One, Chapter 5: "Wait and Bleed"**

"_I felt the hate rise up in me_

_Kneel down and clear the stone of leaves_

_I wander out where you can't see_

_Inside my shell I wait and bleed_

_I wipe it off the tile, the light is brighter this time_

_Everything is 3-D blasphemy_

_My eyes are red and gold, the hair is standing straight up_

_This is not the way I pictured me_

_I can't control my shakes!_

_How the hell did I get here?_

_Something about this, so very wrong_

_I have to laugh out loud, I wish I didn't like this_

_Is it a dream or a memory?_

_I felt the hate rise up in me_

_Kneel down and clear the stone of leaves_

_I wander out where you can't see_

_Inside my shell I wait and bleed"_

"Wait and Bleed" by Slipknot

* * *

It was a sweet, coppery taste. In a way it reminded the boy of an addictive drink, addictive but necessary. Every time the boy went off track, every time he tried to go beyond his boundaries, and every time he thought he was invincible, the bittersweet taste would fill his mouth and remind him that he was human.

Only human.

And like a drunk turning to alcohol, the boy savored the taste, curling around it like it defined him. And in a way it did, it had been with the boy since he was five. He could still remember the day of his seventh birthday, the day his father discovered his ailment, his _weakness_. His parents had rushed him to the hospital and demanded the best medic-nin available see to him. The boy's memory got fuzzy from there, after a nurse injected him with a liquid unknown to him, the boy and his family had waited patiently as the small circle of skin began to raise and harden; a day later another med-nin came in and saw the irritated skin.

The boy would never forget the way the young girl's eyes had widened in shock and horror, causing her to usher the boy's parents from the room as if he were Satan himself.

They returned five minutes later, clad in protective germ masks.

The med-nin preformed another examination, all the while avoiding the boy's questioning eyes, and left after whispering a few words to his parents.

He caught the words "not contagious" but they were nothing but an empty promise when followed by the word "terminal."

It seemed that was the day the boy's life had changed, when he enrolled at the Academy he could distinctly remember his mother's hugs and his father's praise, it was a sad commentary in and of itself that those memories were overshadowed with memories of his father despising him for not being as good "as he could have been" and his mother being unable to look him in the eyes.

And now it had come to this, ten years later at the age of fifteen, the boy found himself standing in his family sitting room. He looked around and scrutinized all the material goods surrounding him; his family wasn't exactly rich per se, but they did well enough. It was reasonable to assume the boy would inherit a decent sum when he came of age in a year.

Unfortunately the boy soon felt the tingle in his throat just before his taste buds were assaulted with the familiar tang of coppery sweetness. Just as the boy was reaching for the handkerchief in his pocket, he suddenly grinned and spat the bloody mucus in his mouth right in the face of the cowering old man in front of him.

"A parting gift, Father…"

The man wiped the bloody froth from his face and glared angrily at his son. "You think this will change anything, boy? You think this makes you somebody… you think this means you aren't an insufferable failure!?" He raged, attempting to stand before a bone crunching right hook from his son sent him sprawling back towards the ground.

"Ignorant as always, I see. 'This' means nothing to me, I have simply tired of the game we have played for the past decade. I hate you, and you hate me… there is only so much that that interaction can do for me. No, all you should concern yourself with is the fact that your own son hates you so much that he views you as nothing more than a waste of time. You are a worthless human being who was corrupted by his greed.

"I gave you everything a father could want in son, but that was never good enough," the boy spat as he pulled out a kunai and took a few steps towards his father.

"Get the hell away from me, you ungrateful bastard!" The old man screamed as his son squatted down in front of him, grasping the back of his and pressing a cold kunai against his throat.

"In my opinion, all your anger, rage, feelings of inadequacy… they all stem from the fact that you take things too _seriously_. You never lightened up and you _never_ looked on the bright side. How hard would that have been, Father? Hmm…?

"ANSWER ME!" The boy roared pressing the kunai hard enough to draw a trickle of blood.

"I don't know!!!" The man wailed, wide-eyed with fear now that his blood had been spilled.

The boy grinned. "It's not that hard at all Father, I've done it all my life… all this time that I've bled, I always managed a few good chuckles and a friendly smile. All it takes is a good sense of humor… and an open mind. But I suppose that's neither here nor there, seeing as how you're about to… expire."

"Damn it, boy, listen to yourself! You don't make any goddamn sense!"

The boy chuckled as he pulled his father closer to whisper in his ear. "Shhh, Father. It makes perfect sense; the problem is that my words are beyond your ignorance. Just remember, that this whole exercise in futility could have been easily avoided if you'd only had the decency to behave yourself."

The boy was pleasantly surprised to hear his father laugh, a sound he hadn't heard in years. "That's where you're wrong, boy. I see now that this was unavoidable… the problem is that you're sick in the head… when you popped out of your mother, you came out _wrong_. I suppose the right thing to do would have been to hold you under the river until the bubbles stopped…"

The boy couldn't help but laugh at the irony. "I guess we're both monsters then… like father, like son…"

"Just something else for you to ponder while you rot in hell, I suppose." The boy said as he slit the old man's throat, ensuring that his father would always be smiling.

The boy expelled another mouthful of blood as he watched his father claw at his neck in a futile attempt to stem the flow of blood. "It's funny, Mother, I know that what I am doing is wrong… and I know that I am in fact doing it, that my actions are my own, but I can't help but laugh! I find it hilarious that I don't feel an ounce of remorse for taking the life of this worthless piece of shit that I call 'father.'" The boy explained as he walked over to the woman silently crying in the corner.

"I wonder why that is, Mother?"

For the first time in ten years, the boy's mother lifted her eyes to meet his.

She flinched at the hatred she saw burning in his honey colored eyes… she vaguely remembered a time when those beautiful, golden orbs held nothing but love and affection for her; that was the side she tried to appeal to.

"W-why?" The woman sobbed. "Why are you doing this, Nikushimi? Why!?"

Mizukara Nikushimi smiled before pulling his mother into a warm embrace and stabbing his kunai through the back of her neck. "Because you and Father committed the same crime… you just used different methods." Nikushimi answered as he stared at the kunai protruding just below his mother's chin.

As the young chunin watched the twin pools of blood at his feet grow larger and larger, he couldn't help but think of how different the reality of the situation was from how he had imagined it.

"In books and movies there's always a sense of euphoric accomplishment and fulfillment… but I just feel… empty… nothing." Nikushimi remarked as he examined his murdered parents. "Maybe something is wrong with me… maybe I'm a monster or something; maybe I'm not human…"

Nikushimi felt the blood well up and promptly spat another mouthful of the cursed liquid onto the ground before walking off to his kitchen.

"Definitely human." The boy muttered as he rinsed his mouth with a glass of water. "Maybe I'm crazy, like Father said."

Right on cue a long list of illnesses ran through Nikushimi's head. _"Anti-social personality disorder, sociopathy, psychopathy, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia…"_

"Does it even matter now?" The chunin asked out loud.

"The fact that you are lucid enough to analyze your own sanity should be your clue, Mizukara-san."

Nikushimi stiffened and involuntarily tightened his grip on the cup. "What brings you to my home this evening, Danzo-sama?"

"Opportunity." Danzo explained as he evaluated Nikushimi with his one good eye. "Enrolled in the Academy at age six, graduated by age nine, and made chunin at age eleven… most impressive, Mizukara-san."

The chunin spat a small glob of blood into his cup, tingeing the crystal clear water with whorls of pink. "Thank you, Danzo-sama, but I can't help but notice that throughout your most flattering appraisal, you have yet to answer my question…"

Danzo resisted the urge to introduce the young boy's jaw to his cane. "Very observant, Mizukara-san." The ROOT leader complimented as he eyed Nikushimi's glass with distaste. "I have come here to offer you a deal… one that is not to be taken lightly."

"If you think that I'm going to become one of your emotionless ANBU boy toys, you're wasting your time. So, for your sake, I hope you've got something better to offer." Nikushimi replied disinterestedly.

The scarred man chuckled. "You are already enough like a ROOT operative for my tastes, otherwise I would not be standing here right now. The only difference between the empty shinobi standing before me and the ones waiting outside to cut you down in a moment's notice is that _they_ are obedient. So being the smart little chunin that you are, I'm sure that you know to heed my words carefully." Danzo threatened.

"And being the anal retentive prick that you are, you must surely know that I can end your crippled existence before your ROOT boys can 'cut me down.' It's painfully clear that either two men walk out of this house, or tomorrow the police-nins will be dragging four bodies out of here. So cut the fucking chit-chat and say whatever the fuck it is you have to," Nikushimi paused to cough up another mouthful of blood, "say, Danzo-sama."

Danzo closed his visible eye and took a steadying breath. _"When this one outgrows its usefulness, I will personally see to its disposal…"_ "Very well, Mizukara-san. As you know, when your parents' bodies are discovered you will be suspected, captured, and executed. I can prevent that from happening if you accept and complete a mission I have for you."

"And what would that mission be, Danzo-sama?"

"You are to watch and observe Uchiha Sasuke and Uzumaki Naruto; you will then determine their respective skill levels. I am interested in what Hatake-san has done with them. When this is done, your next objective will be to assassinate Uzumaki Naruto."

Nikushimi was very surprised; the chunin could understand the old man's interest in the Uchiha, someone with his _background_ would probably be more willing to serve Danzo in ROOT. But why would the ex-ANBU want the village's jinchuuriki dead? Nikushimi had caught a few glimpses of the blond shinobi over the years, and was honestly never really impressed with what he saw. Sure it was funny to watch a throng of kage bunshins run around terrorizing the moronic villagers, but the terminal chunin had never observed the tiny genin doing anything to warrant an assassination.

"Why do you want Uzumaki dead? Why would you bother taking any interest in the Kyuubi container?"

The one armed man was prepared for this question. "The Sandaime has corrupted the jinchuuriki's purpose; the Kyuubi container should have been the village's greatest weapon, our sharpest tool. But that old fool refused to turn Uzumaki over to my tutelage and prevented me from molding the jinchuuriki into an acceptable Konoha shinobi.

"And now the demon runs amok in this village with loyalty that can be considered questionable at best. The villagers hate him, an obvious reaction that Yondaime and Sandaime were unable to foresee, and the boy is ruled by his emotions as a result. Had he been delegated to me, I could have quashed the boy's childish sentiments before they took hold of him. But because of Sarutobi's foolish mollycoddling the jinchuuriki is too easily swayed by others. Mark my words, one day the villagers will push him too far and he will _break_. Shinobi are meant to be efficient, emotionless, killing machines, loyal only to those they serve. They are not meant to be self righteous heroes who push their own agendas; such foolishness leads to things like nuke-nins, clan uprisings, and terrorist organizations."

"_Hmmm… it would appear that Uzumaki escaped a rather unfavorable fate by avoiding the crippled fuck's clutches. But at the same time his life may be in danger…"_

"So this mission is meant to stop Uzumaki before he is turned against the village…"

"Yes. Uzumaki needs to be dealt with sooner, rather than later. By doing this it is also assured that Uchiha Sasuke will be better positioned to be accepted into ROOT; the jinchuuriki's meddling only serves to encourage Uchiha-san's desire to 'avenge' his lost clan." Danzo answered as Nikushimi placed his glass in the kitchen sink.

"Can you blame him? His brother slaughtered the entire clan like suckling pigs. I can still remember the crimson mess he left behind for me and the other rookie genin at the time to clean up. It was a scene I've yet to see recreated in my missions, whatever possessed Uchiha Itachi to defect was most potent, indeed. I've since studied the massacre reports and have come to the conclusion that Itachi-san did not waste a single stroke of his ninjato when he cut down the Uchiha clan."

Danzo smirked, throwing the scar on his chin into prominence. "I suppose only someone like _you_ could appreciate Uchiha-san's actions, Mizukara-san."

Nikushimi swallowed and mastered the urge to cringe as the bloody mucus made its way back down his throat. "Simply because I appreciate another shinobi's skills is not what makes me a monster like Itachi-san. Uzumaki-san is a product of the Yondaime. On the eve of Kyuubi's attack, Minato-sama had a simple choice to make: Uzumaki Naruto or Konohagakure no Sato.

"Yondaime chose correctly, and thus Konohagakure is the prospering village that lies outside my home's walls. But where does that leave Uzumaki-san? The poor boy merely had the misfortune of being on the wrong side of a good decision… but because of that," Nikushimi paused to retrieve his glass from the sink, sighing as he deposited another glob of blood into it, "choice, Minato-sama is responsible for the creation of the 'monster' that the village despises, and you want dead."

"Where are you going with this?" Danzo demanded, rather than asked… the old war hawk was quickly losing his patience.

Nikushimi grinned as he reveled in the fact that the old man could not leave without an answer. "Patience, Danzo-sama. The point is that I, like Uzumaki-san, am a product of external factors, things that we had no control over… we are monsters made by society. Itachi, on the other hand, is a product of himself; the man is an ideal, not a monster."

"What do you mean by 'ideal,' Mizukara-san?"

"Uchiha Itachi works toward a singular purpose that he refuses to be diverted from; he is not loyal to any one village, person, or organization… he serves only whatever ideology it is that he has chosen to follow. That, Danzo-sama, is why every shinobi that this goddamned village sends after him never returns." Nikushimi explained in a lazy, clearly bored tone.

"_Hmm… it seems that this little chunin doesn't know that Itachi was ordered to exterminate his rebellious clan, but I still find his perceptiveness to be… troubling."_ "Wise words, _Ni-kun_, but I have permitted you to stall long enough. I must insist that you inform me of your decision concerning my most generous offer."

"What is the time frame for completing the mission, Danzo-sama?"

"Should you choose to accept, you will observe both targets until the end of the chunin exams. Due to the high probability of Uzumaki being promoted, his first chunin mission would be an opportune moment to strike."

"_Hmmm… that gives me about a month of 'play time…'" _"Then I accept your terms, Danzo-sama. In exchange for concealing what took place here, I will observe Uchiha Sasuke and assassinate Uzumaki Naruto. However if, at any time, I detect one of your little Foundation lackeys, he or she will be eliminated. I won't tolerate being spied on."

"I don't train tools to watch other tools, Mizukara-san. But remember, if you cross me… a murder trial will be the least of your worries; cross me, and I will end you." Danzo threatened as he began to limp towards the door.

"Duly noted, sir." Nikushimi deadpanned as he gave a mock salute to the council elder's retreating back.

"I suggest you leave and establish an alibi," Danzo said as he opened the door, "while my people come to clear up this little mess. When you return, be sure to act surprised that your parents are dead." The man ordered before closing the door behind him.

Nikushimi sighed as he grabbed his coat and prepared to head over to one of the more popular shinobi watering holes.

"_It's definitely a deal with the devil… but I'm not sure I know who the real devil is, Danzo or me?"_

Unable to come up with a suitable answer, Mizukara Nikushimi settled for hacking up another mouthful of blood and departing in search of a warm bottle of sake.

* * *

Naruto opened his eyes and took in the familiar sight of Kyuubi's lair. As in his previous visits, the jinchuuriki found himself staring at the cloud covered sky rolling overhead. The blond often wondered if the clouds themselves were a mental manifestation of the troubled times Naruto knew lay ahead… the "storm" Kyuubi claimed to be coming.

A loud rumbling sound tore Naruto's gaze from the "sky" and pinned it straight onto a massive pair of glowing red orbs that appeared to be slowly drawing closer. The genin jumped as a bolt of lightning streaked across the sky, briefly illuminating the creature that was currently making its way towards Naruto.

"_Oh God…"_

Naruto watched in horror as the creature drew nearer and the shadows receded to reveal a mouth full of long, wicked teeth pulled back into a vicious snarl. Slowly, the beast continued its advancement towards the insignificant whelp before it.

And then he felt it, killing intent so strong that it brought the blond shinobi to his knees as visions of his death at the hands of the demon flooded his brain.

Naruto retched as he watched himself be eaten, crushed, mauled, and tortured by the gigantic demon now pacing around him, like a predator stalking its helpless pray.

"**YOU WILL BOW!" **The bijuu roared as it watched its host suffer the effects of the Shikumi no Jutsu.

"H-hai, K-Kyuubi-sama!" Naruto shouted as he rushed to touch his forehead to the ground, too terrified to even care that he was kowtowing in his own vomit. It was easily the worst experience Naruto had ever had, in his thirteen years on earth the young shinobi could never remember being this scared. Hate and malice seemed to roll of the demon fox as it stalked around Naruto, whipping its tails around wildly. Naruto was too scared to lift his head from the ground, fearful that Kyuubi had reneged on their agreement and was here to kill them both… except this time there was no gate to save him by confining the beast.

The nine tails grinned as it reveled in striking fear into its jinchuuriki. **"Good… it pleases me to see you learn your place, boy."** Kyuubi answered as it stopped in front of Naruto and stared down at him. **"It has come to my attention that we will need to take more steps to ensure our mutual survival."**

"W-what do w-we need t-to do?" Naruto asked as he looked up to find Kyuubi's gaping maw inches from his face.

"**For now I will permit you two sign two summoning contracts,"** Kyuubi said as a scroll materialized before Naruto.

"Who is it with?" Naruto asked as he unrolled the scroll.

"**This is the demon contract, boy. It is one of the rarer contracts and can only be offered to mortals by a demon of exalted status such as myself. You may sign it right now, and when you leave you will verify the contract with the **_**bunta**_**, Haishin."**

The genin nodded and quickly signed the contract in his own blood, placing "Uzumaki Naruto" right next to "Asahoshi."

"**Good. Now for the second contract…"**

Naruto blinked, was that regret he heard in the demon's voice? "What clan is this one with, Kyuubi-sama?"

The massive demon let out a resigned sigh that blew Naruto's hair back and then lowered itself into what could only be interpreted as a submissive bow. **"I, Kyuubi no Yoko, swear upon my honor to serve Uzumaki Naruto until such a time he sees fit to release me from my bondage."**

Naruto's mind had drawn a blank… much like a school boy attempting to divide by zero. The jinchuuriki couldn't believe that the most powerful bijuu was swearing allegiance to him.

"T-thank you, Kyuubi-sama…"

A rumbling growl escaped the demon fox's mouth. **"Yes. For us to complete the contract, you must return to your realm."**

Naruto nodded and began to leave, Kyuubi doing the same and disappearing into the darkness.

"**And boy, remember the fear you felt today. And know that that was but a drop of the power that I –we- possess… but if you cross me, I will bring down upon you all that I am and the demons of Hell that will follow…"**

* * *

Naruto silently made his way to training ground seven under the waning moon's watchful glow. Kyuubi had ordered him to leave as quickly as possible and arrive at the grounds under the cover of darkness. So it was in the dead of night that Uzumaki Naruto found himself standing in the middle of training ground seven, Akuonigan glowing eerily in the absence of light.

"**Good. Now we may begin. As you know, I was sealed within you using the Shiki Fuujin and that blond pest used the Hakke no Fuuin Shiki to supplement the seal and allow you to slowly absorb my chakra. But the insignificant snake you call Orochimaru has disrupted this, as well as your own chakra, with the Gogyo Fuuin.**

"**These two factors serve only to hinder your chakra… and that is not something I will continue to permit. To remove Orochimaru's Gogyo Fuuin, you will break his seal using the power of the Akuonigan, after that you will use it to remold the Shiki Fuujin to permit a free flow of chakra. No longer will that fool's pathetic seal hinder you, instead it will act as a filter to prevent you from overloading on the chakra you will now possess."**

"So the Akuonigan can break seals?"

"**Yes. While you will never become a seal master, the Akuonigan grants you the power to break seals and even manipulate them to a certain degree, however manipulating seals is tricky business… and best left alone. For now, this is all you should attempt, unless I tell you otherwise."**

"Fair enough, I suppose. But what exactly do I need to do?"

"**I will teach you everything, brat. All **_**you**_** have to do is remember and brace yourself for a high amount of pain." **Kyuubi answered with an ominous laugh.

* * *

It was eight o' clock and Hyuga Hinata was contentedly making her way to training ground seven. The young heiress decided to arrive early and practice a few basic Juuken forms before Naruto arrived… the kunoichi was determined to impress her boyfriend and not make a fool of herself.

So it was a bit of a surprise when Hinata spotted Naruto kneeling in front of a lone tree that stood in the middle of a field. The lavender-eyed girl stopped and took in the scene from a nearby tree branch. It appeared as if Naruto was meditating, but upon activating her Byakugan Hinata was able to discern that Naruto was quietly muttering to himself.

Hinata was debating whether or not to make her presence known when Naruto suddenly stood and removed his shirt. The stunned girl slowly watched as the boy she loved removed the red article and folded it, laying it next to the tree. Hinata watched, mesmerized, until Naruto placed his hands in the "ram" seal and began shouting.

"Onipou: Fuuin Hakai!" The blond jinchuuriki then grasped his left wrist and began channeling chakra into the adjoined hand. When a satisfactory amount of chakra had been collected, Naruto pressed his hand to his stomach. Hinata looked on in horror as the crimson line on the left side of his face suddenly extended down his neck and ran to his shoulder.

Hinata could only watch as an invisible scalpel ran down Naruto's arm and carved out various seals, insignias, and kanji that she didn't recognize all over the tender flesh.

Naruto then took his right hand, and with a shout of "Onipou: Akufuuin Henkou!" slammed it on top of his left. The same process repeated itself on Naruto's right arm and Hinata watched the seal on Naruto's stomach disappear and carve itself upside down on the blond genin's back in the same crimson red that now covered his arms.

The Hyuga heiress began to run towards Naruto when she realized that his new "tattoos" were still bleeding and showing no sign of stopping. Hinata was halted when a cloud of boiling red chakra erupted around Naruto.

Naruto brought his hands together in the "dragon" seal and yelled, "KAI!"

The swirling cloud of chakra burst and was quickly absorbed into Naruto's open wounds, causing a stop to the flow of blood.

The freshly tattooed jinchuuriki collapsed into unconsciousness, a loud cry of "Naruto-kun!" was the last he heard before slipping away.

* * *

Naruto had woken up five minutes ago, but in a stroke of absolute genius, the blond decided to keep his eyes shut when he felt a pair of gentle hands run a cool washcloth over his bare back. In a rare moment of selfishness, the genin chose to revel in what he knew had to be Hinata's tender care. The feel of her firm but gentle caress coupled with the liquid bliss of the washcloth was something too good to relinquish so soon.

So the blond lay there, quietly enjoying the feel of the water rolling off his back and arms, until a new sensation graced his skin. The lavender-eyed girl had placed the washcloth to the side and was now gently tracing the tattoo on Naruto's back with a single, perfectly manicured finger.

"Naruto-kun…" The jinchuuriki's name escaped Hinata in a breathless sigh.

"H-Hinata…" Naruto finally "woke" when he was no longer able to repress a shudder as Hinata ran her finger along the spiral between his shoulder blades.

Instantly Naruto regretted his actions because Hinata snatched her hand away as if Naruto's flesh had scalded her.

"N-Naruto-kun… I-I…-"

The young blond got up with a groan and grasped for Hinata's hand. "I'm not angry, Hinata-chan. Thank you for looking after me… I really appreciate it," Naruto said quietly as he pulled Hinata into a hug.

The girl "eeped" in surprise when she suddenly felt herself enveloped in Naruto's warmth; a feeling she swore to experience more often. "Naruto-kun, w-what happened to you? Where did those tattoos come from?"

The genin sighed as he rested his head on top of Hinata's. "In the Forest of Death Orochimaru used the Gogyo Fuuin on the seal that contains Kyuubi and by doing this he was able to disrupt my natural flow of chakra. What you saw me doing was using the Akuonigan to break his Gogyo Fuuin and alter the Yondaime's Shiki Fuujin."

"Y-you 'broke' Orochimaru's seal?"

"Yeah. The Akuonigan can break any seal and manipulate most others."

"I-I see." _"N-Naruto-kun can break seals… then maybe…" _"Then what are all these tattoos, Naruto-kun?"

"That's a very good question, Hinata-chan. Kage Bunshin no Jutsu." A shadow clone poofed into existence and Naruto began examining the red markings covering his arms and back.

"Well, the one on the back is the altered Shiki Fuujin and Hakke no Fuuin Shiki, so that's… normal, I guess. But I don't know what's up with the sleeves. I mean I recognize a few seals and whatnot… but the rest seems entirely foreign." Naruto said as he dismissed his clone. _"Kyuubi, would you care to fill me in?"_

"**They are a fail-safe mechanism. They will amplify your power, and if the situation ever calls for it, they can be released to help you overcome any opponent. Now the time has come… summon me."**

Naruto gulped. "Hinata, you should probably stand back…"

Hinata's eyes were questioning as she took a few steps back into the shade of the lone tree situated in the clearing.

The jinchuuriki bit his thumb, flew through some seals, and slammed his hand on the ground. "Jikayobidashi no Jutsu!"

A black plume of smoke erupted, revealing an elderly man wearing a white, long-sleeved dogi tied closed with a red obi; the blond genin also took note of the black, tribal style tattoo that seemed to wrap around the man's entire neck. The modestly muscled old man had a long mane of flowing gray hair that hung down his back, nearly reaching his waist.

The man opened his eyes, revealing slitted pupils imbedded in blood-red irises, and began walking towards the clearing's lone tree. Naruto made an attempt to cut off the man's progress towards the tree and Hinata, but was halted by an oppressive wave of killing intent focused solely on him.

With shaking knees Hinata watched as Naruto's summon- the kunoichi didn't know it was possible to summon people- calmly made his way towards the tree whose shade she currently resided in. The man walked right past Hinata, sporting a grin that spoke only of innumerable horrors, and gently placed his hand on the tree's trunk.

The man sighed as he ran his wizened fingers over the gnarled bark; it was almost as if he desired the sensation of feeling.

Naruto had since regained control of his facilities and was cautiously making his way over. "K-Kyu-"

The man silenced the jinchuuriki with a raised hand. "Kyuubi-sensei will do." He spoke in a deep baritone. "Now sit."

Naruto did as ordered and plopped down across from his new "sensei." The genin was not surprised to see his kunoichi counterpart do the same… Kyuubi was scary as fuck.

"I am going to teach you techniques the likes of which have not been seen for centuries. My knowledge is vast and immemorial… you will use it to survive and destroy those that would oppose our existence." Kyuubi said as he trained his cold, unforgiving eyes on Naruto.

"Hai, Kyuubi-sensei."

"Your first test will be to validate the demon contract. Go, and see if they will serve you."

Kyuubi calmly watched as Naruto got up and began focusing his chakra.

The genin bit his thumb and quickly ran through the boar, dog, bird, monkey, and ram seals before slamming his palm on the ground. "Kuchiyose no Jutsu!"

Naruto, Hinata, and Kyuubi watched as several plumes of smoke erupted in front of the blond genin.

"**Who dare summons Oogi!?"** The first demon to emerge from the smoke demanded. The one identifying himself as "Oogi" took to the sky, revealing a fat, grotesque bee with iridescent moth wings.

"**Silence, fool! It is obvious that someone has signed the contract… he must be attempting to validate the pact with Lord Haishin." **A tiny imp-like creature clutching a bag of gold coins to his chest shouted.

With the smoke clearing, Naruto took in the sight of Oogi flapping his large wings, the tiny imp clutching his treasure, a large crustacean-like monstrosity drooling spittle and snapping its enormous claws, a massive wolf with gleaming yellow eyes beating a large snake's tail against the ground, a beautiful woman draped in silk, and a horned, withered old man leaning over a stone wheel.

Before Naruto could address his summons a booming voice called out and the bickering demons disappeared in six puffs of smoke.

"**Enough!"**

The jinchuuriki watched as what had to be the most handsome man he had ever seen stepped out from amongst the smoke, carrying a long straight sword and clad in a simple, flowing white robe. Naruto was further mesmerized by the massive, leathery bat wings that protruded from the man's back and curled around him like a majestic barrier.

The summon's wings flared open revealing his impressive twelve foot wingspan as he leveled the point of his sword directly at Naruto's throat. **"Declare yourself, he who seeks an accord with Lord Haishin."**

"I am Uzumaki Naruto, and I am the one who signed the demon contract. W-who are you?" Naruto asked, eyeing the demon's sword with caution.

"**I am Puraido,** **eldest brother of the clan you have contracted and Lord Haishin's archangel, Uzumaki Naruto."**

An obnoxious laugh stole Puraido's attention away from Naruto. "'Archangel?' I see now why you are named so, whelp."

Recognition dawned on the "archangel's" face. **"Vile monster, you'd do well to hold your insolent tongue in my presence!"**

"Ah, ah, ah," Kyuubi admonished with a shaking finger, "pride goeth before a fall…"

"**Mark my words, Kyuubi no Yoko, your machinations will come to an end when Lord Haishin sends my kin and I to drag you back to Hell where you belong**.**" **

"We shall see, whelp. For now you'd do well to concern yourself with honoring the contract."

Puraido shot Kyuubi a withering glare that the bijuu angrily returned before turning back to face Naruto. **"Jinchuuriki, you are a hanyo and thus entitled to summon us. As your kin, we are honor bound to serve you. I speak for myself, my kinsmen Yoku, Netami, Doku, Iro, Oogi, and Taida, and Lord Haishin, in saying that our clan swears its allegiance to you, Uzumaki Naruto. Now step forward and receive our mark."**

Naruto took a tentative step forward and watched as Puraido ran his hand along the sword's edge, drawing a trickle of blood. The archangel then grasped Naruto's right hand, causing the genin to let out a scream of pain as his summoner's tattoo was burned into the tender flesh of his open palm.

Puraido smiled as a gentle breeze blew through the training ground, slightly ruffling the golden locks that hung down to his shoulders. **"Uzumaki Naruto, our accord is complete and you may summon my brethren and I into battle. But be forewarned, as demons of Hell we follow the rule of seven of five: one of us for seven minutes, or all of us for five… and should the need arise and you are forced to summon Lord Haishin, be prepared to offer him a tithe."**

Naruto clutched his stinging palm in his good hand. "A 'tithe?'"

"**Yes. Lord Haishin demands a tribute of human souls for his services… make sure you are adequately prepared…"** With those final words, Puraido dissolved into a mass of brilliant white feathers that blew away in the whispering breeze.

"N-Naruto-kun… your hand, is it-"

"It will heal, the summoner's tattoo is meant to enable a summoner to perform the jutsu quicker and more efficiently."

Hinata jumped when Kyuubi's deep voice entered her ears, in the hubbub of meeting the demon clan, the kunoichi had forgotten about the bijuu's presence. "I-I was j-just concerned, Kyuubi-sama…"

The bijuu cracked a grin at the girl's obvious fear. "Yes, I see. Boy, come here! I've a lesson for you."

"H-hai, Kyuubi-sensei." Naruto answered, making his way over to Kyuubi and Hinata; the pain in his hand finally receding.

Kyuubi looked around and snatched up Hinata's abandoned washcloth. "Hold out your hand, girl." The bijuu ordered.

Hinata timidly held out her hand and watched with baited breath as the demon squeezed out a few droplets of water onto the back of her hand.

Naruto and Hinata let out a collective sigh when Kyuubi set the cloth down. "Now move it… manipulate it around your skin."

Hinata concentrated her chakra and gently pushed the drop of water around her hand and further up her arm, flawlessly executing the exercise taught to her when she entered the academy.

"Wow, Hinata-chan! When did you learn to do that?"

"Um… my tutors taught it to me when I was younger, it is the next step in chakra control after water walking." The shy girl answered.

"The girl is manipulating chakra; this is the basis for nature manipulation. It is an almost identical process that merely requires the manipulator to add his or her nature affinity to the process."

"Her name is Hinata!" Naruto reprimanded, coming to his girlfriend's defense.

A jolt of killing intent struck the two genin, and the bijuu only grinned when the jinchuuriki refused to be cowed. "_Hinata_ obviously has an affinity for Suiton, judging by her control over that tiny droplet."

Comprehension dawned on the blond. "So you want me to try manipulating chakra…?"

Kyuubi grinned as he called the water from Hinata's wrist. The two teens watched as the droplet froze over as it came to a rest in Kyuubi's outstretched palm. Mesmerized, Naruto and Hinata continued to watch as the droplet took on a purplish glow and slowly began to crystallize. The bijuu chuckled and allowed the tiny gem to flow about his fingers before it melted into a thin stream of lava.

The nine tails gathered the molten liquid in his hand and placed it upon the ground, Hinata and Naruto's eyes grew wide as a tiny sapling emerged from the ground.

"From now on you will practice nature manipulation every day, boy. When you can successfully repeat what I have done- without error- we will move on to the next step."

"Hai, Kyuubi-sensei." Naruto answered, awestruck at the impressive display of chakra control.

"Now before I go, I have two new jutsu to teach you. They will build upon what you've learned with the 'Yodan no Jutsu.' These are the seals."

Naruto watched Kyuubi run through a few seals before raising his hand to his mouth.

"Yoton: Yoryuu Endan no Jutsu!" A burning stream of lava erupted from Kyuubi's mouth and sailed several yards forward, melting everything in its path.

Naruto could barely hold in his anticipation to try the new technique himself. "That was fucking awesome!"

"Yes… now watch this one and memorize its seals."

Again Kyuubi ran through a series of seals, this one considerably longer, and shouted, "Yoton: Gouyoryuudan no Jutsu!"

An enormous dragon erupted from the earth and began spewing massive balls of molten lava in front of itself.

Kyuubi turned his back on the scorched and ruined earth, lest he get nostalgic, and addressed the genin standing before him. "Work on those for now, boy."

"You got it, Kyuubi-sensei!" Naruto shouted while giving the bijuu a mock salute.

"Insolent whelp… and see to it that you track down the Ichibi's vessel. I have a proposition that will help to secure his loyalty." Kyuubi instructed before disappearing in a cloud of black smoke.

"The 'Ichibi?'" Hinata asked after the smoke cleared.

"He means Sabaku no Gaara. He's a jinchuuriki like me."

Hinata ohed in understanding.

"Yeah… there are others like me…"

The kunoichi took a step closer and gently grasped Naruto's hand. "I don't know if I'd say you two were 'alike…'"

Naruto brought her soft hand to his lips. "I suppose there is some truth in that statement… but hopefully I can get him to ease up on the whole mass murder thing…" The blond responded, admiring the pink blush now highlighting her pale cheeks.

"If there is anyone who could change Gaara-san, it's you, Naruto-kun." Hinata said quietly as she gently traced the patterns on the back of Naruto's hand with her thumb.

The genin chuckled and went to retrieve his shirt.

"I appreciate the vote of confidence, Hinata-chan," Naruto joked as he pulled the black fabric over his blond head. "But I think it's going to take a lot of convincing to get Gaara to let me help him."

"I'm sure Kyuubi-sama has a plan…"

"Yes… if I was ever certain of one fact, Hinata-chan, it's that Kyuubi no Yoko has a plan." The jinchuuriki agreed as he watched a lone leaf from Kyuubi's sapling lose itself to the gentle breeze.

* * *

**Jutsu List:**

**Onipou: Fuuin Hakai- **Demon Art: Seal Destruction

**Onipou: Akufuuin Henkou- **Demon Art: Demonic Seal Manipulation

**Jikayobidashi no Jutsu- **Personal Summoning Technique

**Yoton: Yoryuu Endan no Jutsu- **Lava Release: Lava Dragon Missile Technique

**Yoton: Gouyoryuudan no Jutsu-** Lava Release: Great Lava Dragon Bullet Technique

**A/N:** I hope you enjoyed the chapter. I'll start by discussing the demon contract. I chose to follow this route because it allowed me to follow a universal theme when designing the contract's summons, furthermore I wanted to avoid the "kitsune contract." Not that I have anything against it, I just wanted to try something a little different. Astute readers will deduce the theme that unifies the demons, and then the names will make a bit more sense. I realize that the demons weren't described in great detail, the exception being Puraido, and that was on purpose. The other demons will be explored in the coming chapters. If you have in any questions leave them in a review, and I'll get back to you. To everyone else, leave a review anyway… it'll make my day.

-Andrew


	7. Chapter 6: November Spawned A Monster

**Act One, Chapter 6: "November Spawned A Monster" **

"_Sleep on and dream of Love  
Because it's the closest you will  
Get to love  
Poor twisted child  
So ugly, so ugly  
Poor twisted child  
Oh hug me, oh hug me  
One November  
Spawned a monster  
In the shape of this child  
Who later cried :__"_

'But Jesus made me, so  
Jesus save me from  
pity, sympathy  
And people discussing me'  
A frame of useless limbs  
What can make good  
All the bad that's been done ?

"November Spawned A Monster" by Morrissey

* * *

Naruto grunted as he stepped out of his shower and began to towel himself off. It seemed that even the smallest movement was enough to provoke his aching muscles into protest. The blond genin had one Hatake Kakashi to blame for his current predicament; the cycloptic jonin had insisted on _another_ bell test to determine his team's "current" standing. The jinchuuriki knew the day was going to be tough, but found himself pleasantly surprised when Sakura had a most favorable reaction to the news of her teammate's… _situation_.

No, instead of violently joining her fist with Naruto's skull, the pink-haired kunoichi had broken down into tears and enveloped Naruto into a shuddering, but not unpleasant, hug. For once in the blond boy's life it seemed as if things had finally swung his way, he had a beautiful girlfriend, he was getting along with his friends better than ever, and he even had a new dojutsu.

Unfortunately, a certain Sharingan-wielding scarecrow had seen to fit to completely derail Naruto's happy train with his demented bells. Even now the jinchuuriki could hear those damned bells jingling at him- mocking him as they swayed on Kakashi's belt. And despite Team Seven's most concentrated efforts, the Uchiha prodigy, the genius kunoichi, and the village demon were unable to relieve their sensei of his brass orbs.

Sakura had been the first to go down; the pinkette had bravely volunteered to lead a charge so that her two, more powerful, teammates could rush in behind her and gain the upper hand. The first bell test had at least shown them that splitting up and hiding for two hours while Naruto recklessly charged at Kakashi-sensei was not a proper strategy. Sadly, using Sakura as a distraction was even less effective. The poor girl had found herself buried from the neck down before her mind could comprehend the fact that Kakashi had even moved.

The exercise quickly descended into madness from then on; even after Sasuke had managed to free the team's kunoichi, the three genin's combined assault did little in terms of slowing Hatake Kakashi down.

At least this time Kakashi was forced to put his copy of _Icha Icha Paradise_ down before finally neutralizing his genin cell.

Naruto shuddered as pulled on his boxers, the Magen that Kakashi had trapped him in was too realistic for the blond's tastes... watching as everything around him was set aflame, trying to run away and help the scared villagers; only to discover that he was the source of the flames…

Another shudder ran up Naruto's spine as he recalled the sensation of his flesh burning and peeling away…

"Well… at least I didn't go out like Sasuke… Konohagakure Hiden: Taijutsu no Ōugi: Sennen Goroshi… _fuck that_."

"_Heh heh… the look on Sasuke's face when Kakashi added a little lightning chakra to his fingers: fucking priceless!"_ The jinchuuriki grinned as he recalled watching an extremely violated Uchiha soar through the air before crash landing in a nearby lake.

After successfully disabling his three young charges, Kakashi had told them to go home and ponder their defeat in order to think of a means to improve their performance. Taking his sensei's words to heart Naruto immediately began to think about the day's shortcomings. It didn't take the rookie genin long to come to the conclusion that his speed and flexibility were sorely lacking.

Naruto was as quick and flexible as the average genin, but after watching Neji and Hinata's fight, he quickly realized that average was not going to be good enough. So, the beaten and humiliated Naruto dragged himself to the weapons shop and began looking around. His black eyes first settled on a set of leg and arm weights that could be adjusted with chakra; they were nowhere near as heavy as the ones Lee wore, but they were a start nonetheless. The hanyo next sought out some more clothes, this time looking for garments that were light and loose fitting. This led Naruto to… to the yukata section, of all places. The shinobi store contained a plethora of various combat yukatas, ranging from durable cotton woven ones, to double layered robes with an in woven chainmail lining.

Once the elderly store owner had assured Naruto that the cotton garments were in fact _not_ girls' dresses, the loud genin had decided on a sleeveless, white yukata that depicted a red dragon coiling around the wearer's body. The blond was pleasantly surprised to find that the light material allowed him to move quite freely, and the breeze… well that was just icing on the cake. But in a rare bout of modesty, Naruto figured it wouldn't do well to run around the roof tops giving innocent villagers a free look up his proverbial "skirt" and bought a pair of dark red hakama pants and a matching haori.

Content, Naruto had left the store to head back to his humble apartment when a most peculiar thing happened: a root, one that Naruto was certain had not been there before, rose from the ground and tripped him. The boy had cried out in outrage, only to find himself face to face with a man who introduced himself as "Yamato."

After apologizing for missing the day's training, Yamato had assured Naruto that he would begin his Mokuton training the next day and left his new pupil with instructions to begin attempting to produce small trees as a means to grow accustomed to wood chakra manipulation.

"Today certainly was interesting…" The genin remarked as slipped on his yukata and tied it with a white sash. The jinchuuriki proceeded to slip on a pair of socks, followed by his hakama pants and Hinata's arm bracer. After ensuring that his yukata was properly tucked away, Naruto took a moment to admire himself in the bathroom mirror.

"Hmmm… I think we have a winner. I just might have to go back and pick up a few more colors." The teen grinned as he tied his hitai-ate to his head and walked to the apartment's front door, stopping to slide his haori on and slide his feet into a pair of old tatami sandals.

With a sigh Naruto opened his door and left the safety of his home.

He had a date with a monster.

* * *

Were they friends? He had read about friends in his story books when he was a small child; he had wanted them. At the time it didn't seem like a significant request, in his books people were demanding treasure, fame, land, love…

It was that last one that used to irk him, but he had soon placed it at the back of his mind; friends would come first. Somehow the boy instinctively _knew_ that friends were the first step, if he had friends… then everything else would follow. And yet, friends never came. He had family, but his father hated him, his siblings were terrified of him, and his mother… she didn't count; something inside the boy told him that Mother didn't count.

Then there was Yashamaru, he had loved the boy. Whenever he got in trouble, Uncle Yashamaru was always there to help. He was the only person the little boy had in his wretched existence. No matter how badly the boy messed up, no matter how much his sister cried at night, and no matter how much his father hated him, the little boy could always count on Yashamaru to be there; the kind man was always willing to _love _the boy. Well, technically Mother was always there, too…

But then again, _Mother's_ voice never left him.

So, imagine the boy's shock one night when he managed to fend off _another_ of his father's assassins, only to discover that it was Yashamaru. Surely he had no choice, right? The man who had taught him about, love, about wounds of the flesh, and about wounds of the heart was only acting under the orders of his Kazekage, like any honorable shinobi would, right? It's not like he wanted the boy to-

"_This is it. Please die…"_

Unfortunately for the boy, his uncle's love was nothing but a lie. Yashamaru had hated the boy because his creation had resulted in the death of his sister. But the little boy had tried to make him- everyone, in fact- understand that Mother wasn't dead! How could she be dead? Every second the boy could hear her sweet voice, every moment of consciousness she whispered to him… beautiful promises of hugs and love; the fruition of all his desires.

"Nothing but lies."

"**Gaara, honey… would mommy ever lie to you…?"**

The jinchuuriki pushed Shukaku's influence from his mind and returned to his current predicament.

Was he in fact friends with the moon? Gaara continued to scrutinize the faraway silver orb that hung in the sky, bathing everything in its pearly light. Ever since he was born, Gaara had only slept once in his life… that night he had killed thirty Suna citizens before the village's shinobi were able to subdue Shukaku. Since then Gaara had not known the sweet embrace of slumber; knowing that the price to dream was the lives of everyone around him and what little remained of his fractured sanity…

So it was only natural that the young teenager developed a few habits to pass the time he had at his disposal. He read, whatever book he could obtain he quickly devoured, storing away the knowledge even though he had no one to share it with. He once tried to draw… but abandoned that particular pursuit when he discovered he had no talent. Then there was stargazing, by the time he was ten, Gaara could identify all the major constellations that populated the night sky. The redhead was always interested in the creatures that populated the one place he could never go; he was interested as to how the great Draco could coexist with the diminutive Ursa Minor, Gaara wondered how it was possible that a natural predator like Ursa Minor was able to resist the urge to devour the defenseless Camelopardalis. Most of the time the teen wondered why the mighty Engonasin didn't just go slay them all with a swing of his club.

Then one night the answer came to Gaara: it was the moon. The moon must be the one who kept the stars in line; it must have the power to sway the dispositions of even the cruelest of beasts.

Maybe the moon was God…

So it was with this discovery that Gaara began to roam the streets of Sunagakure at night, looking up at the moon… sometimes even talking to it.

But just like God, it never talked back.

And thus the jinchuuriki was left in his current predicament: was he friends with the moon?

Was it even possible for a jinchuuriki to be friends with a celestial body? To the moon's credit, it was one of the few things in existence to ever come across Gaara and not run away screaming, or try to kill him. But was that enough to constitute true friendship? Weren't friends supposed to talk to each other, weren't they supposed to smile, didn't they play together?

Weren't friends supposed to be people?

"You must be very foolish to wander about this village alone…"

Gaara turned to face the Sound genin who hid his face in bandages, sand trickling out of his gourd threateningly. "Leave me."

The Oto genin grinned, stretching the bandages on his face, as he pulled up his sleeve to reveal a speaker attached to a metal gauntlet. "Ah, ah, ah… I can promise you that my sound is faster than your sand; and I'm afraid I can't risk you killing the Uchiha before I get my hands on him."

A hand curling into a fist was the only physical sign of Gaara's anger.

"**KILL HIM! He dares speak to you like that!? He'd dare to challenge **_**our**_** existence!? HIS BLOOD! I demand his BLOOD!?"**

The jinchuuriki grasped his head in pain as the Ichibi's shouting reverberated throughout his skull. "Blood… _It_ wants your blood…"

Dosu watched with mild interest as the Suna shinobi seemed to have a conversation with an invisible person. "Hn… this one's insane. Well, time to die-"

"Sabaku Kyuu."

Dosu watched in shocked horror as the gourd on Gaara's back exploded and rushed forward, encasing the Sound shinobi in a twisted pillar of sand.

"I will not cease to exist…"

Dosu winced as the sand's grip on him tightened, the grainy particles slowly grinding against everything they came into contact with. "W-wait… please-"

Gaara raised an open palm. "Know that the bitter crimson tears that I'll rend from your body will flow and mingle into the endless sand, filling the chaos raging within me. You will make me stronger."

Kinuta Dosu's lone visible eye widened as he helplessly watched Gaara's palm slowly begin to constrict into a fist.

"Sabaku So-"

"STOP!"

The sociopathic redhead watched as a blond Leaf shinobi landed a few feet in front of Dosu.

Gaara's eyes widened in surprise when he took in the genin's changed features. "Uzumaki?"

An extremely nervous Naruto gave a weak wave in response. "Hey there, Gaara… um… I was wondering if we could have a friendly chat…"

"**He's lying! He's evil! Kill him! Bathe in his BLOOD, Gaara!"**

"Liar."

Naruto tried not to show any fear as a tail of sand began slithering up his leg. "No! I promise I just want to talk to you about fixing your seal!"

Gaara looked at the blond boy standing in front of him, and eased the sand away from his leg. "How is that possible?"

Naruto let out a sigh of relief and withdrew one of his arms from the sleeve of his haori. "Look, I'm a jinchuuriki just like you. The Kyuubi no Yoko is inside of me, and I know that Shukaku is inside of you. These markings," Naruto said as he lifted his outstretched arm for Gaara to inspect, "are the result of me absorbing the Kyuubi's power- with that power I can alter your seal, and break Shukaku's influence on you."

Again Gaara raised a hand to grasp at his head when Shukaku's roaring voice filled his head. **"NO! Don't let the Kyuubi container near your seal! You belong to ME! You need ME to prove your existence! WITHOUT ME YOU FILL FADE!"**

"_Quiet… I will hear what Uzumaki has to say."_

After regaining his composure, Gaara once again addressed Naruto. "Why are you offering to do this for me, Uzumaki?"

Naruto brushed the few remaining grains of sand from his pants and returned his arm to its sleeve. "Well, I know from experience that things for… people like us… aren't always easy. And I've never met another jinchuuriki, but I know that we gotta look out for each other, and watch each other's backs…" Naruto trailed off muttering something under his breath that the Sand genin missed.

"What was that?"

"I uh, I said that I thought that… that maybe we could be friends- if you want to! We… we don't have to, though…"

Gaara studied the enigma standing before him; in his thirteen years he had not once come into contact with another jinchuuriki, and he had never met someone like Uzumaki Naruto. Carefully weighing his options inside his head, while ignoring Shukaku's endless jabbering, Gaara made his decision.

"You should know that on the day of the chunin exam finals, Suna and Oto plan to invade this village."

Naruto did a double take, his head comically flipping from Dosu to Gaara. "What!?"

Gaara ordered his sand to constrict the bandaged Oto nin tighter. "Tell him."

Dosu let out a gargled squeak of terror. "He's telling the truth! Orochimaru-sama and the Yondaime Kazekage have formed an alliance and plan to invade Konoha on the day of the finals!"

"**The stench of his fear indicates he's lying, boy. He is bartering for his life; holding out the best information for the highest bidder."**

Naruto took a step closer to the entrapped genin. "What aren't you telling me? You wouldn't just sell out Orochimaru's plans at the first opportunity unless there was something more important to hide."

"I swear that's all I know!"

Naruto winced as Gaara stepped forward and commanded his sand to crash one of Dosu's arms; the sand compressed violently before slithering back into his gourd, leaving only a bloody trail and Dosu's crushed speaker behind.

"AHHHHH! God, my arm!"

Gaara's pale green eyes narrowed slightly. "What information are you withholding?"

"Alright! Orochimaru killed the Kazekage, and has been impersonating him for the past month!"

"What!? Why would he kill his ally!?" Naruto demanded.

"Because the Suna and Oto nins are meant to deal with Konoha's civilian population, while Gaara distracts the ninja populace! Orochimaru is impersonating the Kazekage in order to get close to the Hokage- he means to assassinate him!"

"_Shit! This bad, the snake bastard is going after the old man!"_ "Then why were you attacking Gaara?"

"I couldn't let him kill the last Uchiha; I wanted to kill him to prove my strength to Orochimaru-sama! I swear that's all I know!" Dosu screamed, fearful tears now streaming down his cheek only to be swallowed by Gaara's uncaring sand.

"Fine. We'll take him into-"

"No."

"What?"

"His blood will appease Shukaku… better him than one of your villagers." Gaara stated as the sand surrounding Dosu swallowed his protruding head, muffling the bandaged boy's screams.

"Sabaku Soso."

Naruto felt disgusted as he watched the sand violently compress and begin slithering back into Gaara's gourd.

Dosu screamed no more.

"Was that necessary?" Naruto asked as the last bits of crimson sand returned to Gaara's gourd.

"Given the fact that we will soon be requiring Shukaku's cooperation, I found it pertinent to… 'grease the wheels,' as they say."

"Well, does that mean that Shukaku is gonna lend us a hand?"

"What exactly do you plan to do?"

"Well, first I need to see your seal."

Gaara slid the white cloth covering his right shoulder down and silently turned around, exposing a seal tattooed on the pale skin of his shoulder.

Naruto stepped forward and examined it. _"Kyuubi?"_

"**This seal is incomplete and damaged; whoever sealed Shukaku inside this boy was no seal master. As a result, the flow of chakra is unchecked and sporadic, allowing Shukaku to control this boy to a certain degree."**

"_So Gaara's 'unique' personality is Shukaku's doing?"_ Naruto asked as he studied the circular seal on Gaara's shoulder, taking note of the tiny cracks separating the many lines.

"**The jinchuuriki's 'personality' is not solely Shukaku's doing. The seal is supposed to ensure that the bijuu and its jinchuuriki remain separate entities connected only by chakra; Gaara's broken seal has resulted in Shukaku's abnormally high amount of control over him."**

"_So what do we need to do?"_

"**We will alter the seal and complete it; however we will be unable to perfect it."**

"_What do you mean?"_

"**The seal is broken, that is true. But it was not designed properly. Those rings around the boy's eyes are a sign of insomnia, which is one of the side effects of the seal. Whoever designed it wanted to ensure that Shukaku's jinchuuriki would be unable to sleep. But since the seal is broken, Gaara will periodically slip into unconsciousness and Shukaku will forcibly assume control of his body."**

"_Why would they want to stop Gaara from sleeping?"_

The demon fox let out a condescending chuckle. **"A weapon can't fight when it is sleeping."**

"Come on, we can finish discussing this at my place." Naruto said as he leapt onto an adjoining roof, not even bothering to see if Gaara was following.

The possibility of even the tiniest sense of normalcy was too enticing for the Ichibi vessel to pass up.

"_He said he wanted to be friends…"_

* * *

Sabaku no Gaara sat silently at Naruto's tiny dining table as the blond shinobi milled about the kitchen, finally setting a pair of cups and a pot of tea on the table before taking the seat opposite of Gaara.

"So," the Konoha nin began as he lit a cigarette and took a drag, "the biggest obstacle is that your seal was designed with specific imperfections meant to force you to fight for your village," Naruto explained, gray whorls of smoke escaping from his mouth with every word spoken.

Gaara couldn't help himself as years of reading and fact storage surfaced. "That causes cancer."

"Heh, normally you'd be right, but the fox's healing chakra takes care of it. Doesn't Shukaku heal your injuries?"

"I have never been injured, but I do not believe the Ichibi possesses any sort of regenerative abilities."

"Oh… well that sucks." Naruto concluded, exhaling another lungful of smoke.

"Indeed. And I assume from your earlier statement, that the majority of my problems stem from the seal's design?"

Naruto nodded. "But the seal also fractured and damaged; a sign that the person who sealed Shukaku within you messed up. What I can do is alter the seal and fill in the gaps. By doing this, I can stop Shukaku from influencing your actions and grant you more access to his chakra. But I'm afraid the insomnia and… bloodlust are beyond my powers." The blond said as he tapped his cigarette on the ashtray.

The Suna jinchuuriki watched the gray remains smoke slightly before flicking his sea-green eyes back towards his host. "What about the yelling… Shukaku's constant chattering reverberating throughout my skull?"

"After the seal is altered, you should be able to sever the mental link you both share; with practice you'll be able to do it."

For the briefest of seconds a look of relief flashed through Gaara's eyes, before the Ichibi container steeled his features. "Thank you, Uzumaki."

The blond waved him off. "No problem. It's like I said, we gotta look out for each other. And please, call me Naruto."

Gaara nodded. "May I ask you a question, Naruto?"

The Leaf genin took an educated guess. "My eyes, right?"

Another nod.

"It's a dojutsu called the Akuonigan. It only manifests itself when a bijuu willingly relinquishes its power to its jinchuuriki. Hey! I don't suppose Shukaku would be up for that, would he?"

The redhead shuddered as the tanuki's answer erupted within his skull. "No."

"Well shit. That would have been the ideal solution, but I suppose that's why have plan B, huh!?" Naruto exclaimed before taking a sip of tea.

"Yes. When will we do it?"

"We can begin now, if you'd like."

Gaara grimaced as Shukaku's grating voice filled his head. **"He means to betray you, Gaara! The Kyuubi vessel would never help you! Kill them! I demand their BLOOD!"**

"Let's get this over with." The Suna nin said as he lowered his shirt to expose his seal.

Naruto nodded, ground out his cigarette and moved to stand behind Gaara. "This will most likely be very painful."

Gaara's hand involuntarily traced a finger over the tattoo on his forehead. _"Love…"_

"I understand."

"Just try to relax. Onipou: Akufuuin Henkou."

Gaara's eyes widened as a most foreign sensation began to trickle forth from the seal Naruto's hand currently rested upon. Ever so slowly the curious sensation began to envelop his entire being, its intensity magnifying by the second. The boy's eyes, eyes the color of old copper rusted away, watched as hundreds of miniscule cracks began to appear in the sand that comprised his personal armor. But what Gaara found most peculiar was the strange noise that had begun to fill his ears… a sound he now recognized as the screams he often heard on the battlefield… and then he understood.

He was feeling pain.

Upon coming to this conclusion, Gaara felt the Kyuubi's chakra spike, flinging him across the table; the crashing sound behind him informed him that Naruto had been slammed into his refrigerator.

Gaara watched as his excess sand slowly trickled over his body to fill in the minute cracks that were currently crisscrossing all over his sand armor, tiny little grains tumbling all over his body like good little worker ants.

"Aw, fuck."

The redhead turned around to see the source of Naruto's complaining; the blond was sprawled out before his refrigerator, the appliance nothing more than twisted metal utterly destroyed by Naruto's impact.

And the rest of the apartment wasn't doing much better, nearly every object was burned in some way by the outburst of Kyuubi's chakra; the door to Naruto's bedroom was now hanging pathetically off its hinges, the television set was emitting sparks at random intervals, and the couch was charred black, a sea of cotton stuffing bleeding all over the floor.

"Naruto, are you all right?"

"I'm fine, Gaara, but I can't say the same for all my shit…"

The words tasted funny as they left his mouth. "I am… sorry."

Naruto blinked. "Uh, it's alright. But, how are you feeling?"

The Ichibi vessel thought his answer over carefully. "I feel… calmer, like I can see everything much more clearly. Shukaku's voice no longer pounds within my head; now it is almost like a soft whisper…"

"Yeah, that sounds like a success to me. Now Shukaku has no control over you, and you can draw on his chakra at will."

Gaara nodded. "Thank you for what you have done… no one has ever extended such a kindness to me…"

The blond got up and tentatively placed a hand on Gaara's shoulder, almost flinching as he felt the grains of sand rustle agitatedly in silent warning before Gaara relaxed. "No problem… I-I know what it's like, to be hated, feared… and to be alone…"

The redhead turned to regard Naruto with a look of understanding before nodding silently.

For a while the stood there in silence, Naruto picking at the sleeve of his haori. "Hey Gaara, can I ask you something?"

"What?"

"Why… why did your village turn you into a jinchuuriki?"

The Suna shinobi raised an eyebrow, his expression indicating his surprise. "A weapon. Jinchuuriki are weapons."

"So Sunagakure did this to you just so they could have a _weapon_!?"

"Why is that concept so hard for you to grasp? It is the same reason Konohagakure has sealed the Kyuubi no Yoko into you; you are no more than a weapon to them. I admit that I do not have firsthand experience with _your_ life, but I can see it in your eyes; this village has shunned you. They do not treat as one of their own, you are something that was forced onto them… a necessary evil."

The bluntness of Gaara's words almost brought Naruto to tears; the simple, emotionless way the Suna nin explained their shared abuse was far too surreal; such pain and suffering being discussed as easily as one would discuss a math equation.

Sabaku no Gaara's tone indicated that his and Naruto's treatment was to be expected.

"But that's not why Kyuubi was sealed into me; it was done so it wouldn't destroy the village. No one ever planned to set me loose on other villages." _"Right?"_

Pity quickly flashed through Gaara's pale green eyes. "If a sword is never used, does that mean it is still not an instrument of violence; a weapon? When a warrior crosses a sword to deflect another sword, does that make it a shield? Your village's reasons do not matter, human reasons do not matter. We are jinchuuriki, and our purpose is absolute.

"We are _their_ weapons… we are their failures."

Naruto couldn't stop a bloody tear from carving its way down his cheek as he listened to Gaara's words. "You… you sound as if you believe we aren't human…"

"We are jinchuuriki; our humanity was forfeit the moment our villages decided that their existence was worth more than ours."

It broke Naruto's heart to hear his newfound companion- they weren't friends yet, maybe in the near future, but not now- confirm his worst fears. To know that someone in the same situation as him was so lost, so beyond reach that the mere _idea_ of humanity was foreign. Naruto raised his weary eyes to address Gaara. "Then why do you bother? Why do you fight… why do you wear that hitai-ate?"

The Ichibi vessel met Naruto's searching gaze, both jinchuuriki feeling each other out while their respective bijuu shouted within them; one demanding its blood tithe, the other laughing at the pointlessness of it all.

"I bother because I refuse to cease, I will live and that is enough. I fight for myself because I am all that matters; my existence is what sustains me. As for this piece of metal," Gaara said, eyes darting to examine the Suna emblem on his arm with distaste, "it is no more than a symbol of the times. It means that I have yet to leave the place I was born; I hold no love for The Village Hidden in the Sand."

"But how can you-"

"Enough!" Gaara said, slamming his fist onto Naruto's already damaged dining table. The thunderous silence lorded over both jinchuuriki, neither aware that the Ichibi vessel was capable of emotional outbursts. "Naruto," Gaara began again, "you are projecting your own fears onto me."

"'Projecting?'" The blond asked, crimson rings sparkled with confusion.

"It is a psychological term; projection is a defense mechanism where a person's own fears, faults, or unwanted thoughts are ascribed onto another person." Gaara explained, explanation quoted word for word from one of his books. "In any case, there will be plenty of time for such discussions in the future. But now I believe we should go see the Hokage and inform him of Orochimaru's plans and the coming invasion."

Naruto chuckled nervously. "Heh, sorry 'bout that, Gaara; sometimes I lose track of what I'm doing and get distracted."

"I see."

"Yeah, well let's get going then; that burst of demonic chakra most likely didn't go unnoticed by the ANBU, so I'm willing to bet we'll be expected."

* * *

Sarutobi Hiruzen was not expecting this. No, the Sandaime was expecting Naruto to come barging in his office, bragging about _another_ new development in his Akuonigan. Sarutobi was not going to forget Naruto's last demonstration anytime soon.

The energetic genin had bounded into the Hokage's office demanding that Sarutobi seal something so that he could demonstrate the Akuonigan's newest ability. Curious, Sarutobi withdrew five pieces of sealing paper and quickly scribbled the "kin" character on each piece before arranging four pieces around the fifth; creating a small circle of paper on his desk. With a simple command of "Gofuu Kekkai," Sandaime activated the Five Seals Barrier.

It was a mistake the wizened Hokage would soon regret.

As soon as the seal activated, Naruto confidently strode to the Hokage's desk and slammed his palm on the kin tag nearest him, crying out "Onipou: Fuuin Hakai!" When the blond jinchuuriki's hand made contact with the seal, a small burst of red chakra spread to each tag and quickly destroyed them.

Sarutobi sat silently, amazed that his favorite little shinobi had managed to destroy a seal that would normally require four people to do so. Unfortunately, Naruto's destruction of the five tags had activated their defense mechanism: the Kyoumen Shuuja no Jutsu. To the Sandaime's horror, four Naruto copies materialized on his desk and immediately attacked Naruto and Sarutobi.

The scorch marks still scarred his precious office.

With a heavy sigh, Sarutobi Hiruzen tore his gaze from the angry black blotch that covered the far corner of his office and leveled it on the two young jinchuuriki standing before him.

No, this was most unexpected.

Instead of a bragging Naruto, Sandaime had gotten the Ichibi Jinchuuriki, an invasion and assassination plot being orchestrated by Orochimaru, and… a bragging Naruto.

"_Some things never change…"_ "The village is indebted to you, Gaara-san. But, if you don't mind me asking, what has prompted you to reveal this information to us?"

"Uzumaki-san has paid me a great service, one that I may never be able to repay. As such, I am willing to ally myself with him, rather than the village that has branded me an outcast." The redheaded teen answered, loathing for Sunagakure dripping in every syllable.

"And your siblings? Based on what you've told me, they and your sensei play an important role in the invasion? What do you intend to do about them?"

"I will inform Baki-sensei about my father's death and suggest that he, Kankuro, and Temari return to Sunagakure and relay Orochimaru's betrayal to the council. Should they chose to listen to me, I will ensure that Baki places all of our shinobi at your command. But if they choose to continue with Orochimaru's plan… then we shall fight as enemies, and they will be given no quarter."

"And what about you, Gaara? You are playing a dangerous game by betraying your village…"

"It is of no concern to me; I hold no loyalty to Suna… there is nothing for me there."

"So you would consent to becoming a Leaf shinobi? Would Konoha have your loyalty?" Sarutobi hated to question the boy's motives, but the safety of Konohagakure no Sato was of the utmost importance.

"My loyalty is to Uzumaki Naruto, as long as he remains a shinobi of the Leaf, I will offer my services as well."

Hiruzen stroked his beard thoughtfully. "As a show of good faith, I think it would be better if you remained in this village as a 'liaison' on Suna's behalf. While you wouldn't be an 'official' Leaf shinobi, I could still assign you missions and Suna could still recall you in the event of an emergency. I believe this to be the best decision."

Gaara looked to Naruto, his expression asking the question without words. _"Is this acceptable?"_

The blond shot Gaara a huge grin and gave him a 'thumbs up.' _"Go for it!"_

"Your terms are acceptable, Hokage-sama."

The elderly fire shadow clapped his hands together happily. "Excellent! Now, because of what you've told me, we will have to change a few things about the upcoming finals."

"What!? I still gotta teach that bastard Neji a lesson for what he did to Hinata-chan! How am I supposed to do that if you mess up the schedule, Old Man!?" Naruto demanded, crimson eyes glowing dangerously for the briefest of moments.

Sarutobi rubbed his temples in a frustrated manner. _Always speaking before thinking…" _"Please calm down, Naruto. Your match with Hyuga Neji will continue as planned. I was referring to Gaara's match with Sasuke. While we will have to ensure that they put on a good show for the crowds, we cannot have two of the most capable genin at our disposal wasting all their energy on an exam match. Gaara will play a pivotal role in dealing with the Sound nin attacking the stadium."

Naruto let out a low whistle. "Teme's not gonna like that one bit…"

"The village's safety is far more important than Sasuke's chunin ambitions. Besides, as Hokage it is within my power to perform field promotions. In times of battle, ninja that perform exceptionally well can be promoted to the next rank; although it is a rare occurrence. Given the large role Team Seven is likely to play in the counterattack, I am confident Sasuke, as well as you and Miss Haruno, will be presented with plenty of opportunities to prove why the three of you deserve a chunin vest."

"So then I could become a jonin, right?" Naruto asked as he greedily rubbed his hands together. _"If I'm a jonin, then everyone'll have to respect me… and I'll be that much closer to becoming Hokage."_ Another thought flittered into Naruto's mind, causing the young ninja to rethink all his dreams and aspirations, _"If I become a jonin and Sasuke doesn't, I'll be able to send him on missions and he'll _have_ to do it!"_

"_Such a one-track mind…"_ Sandaime thought to himself. "While that is _technically _possible, it is not very likely to happen. The best you could hope for would be a recommendation for the Jonin test."

"Well fuck." Naruto pouted.

Sandaime shook his head as he withdrew his pipe and lit it. "Naruto," he began as he took a long draw, the action causing Naruto to light a cigarette of his own, "you shouldn't go looking for trouble in situations like these. The man who runs down the road of life constantly looking towards the future often neglects the importance of the present." Sarutobi sagely advised.

Naruto blew a puff of smoke from his nostrils. "What the hell does that mean?"

"Hokage-sama is telling you to keep your focus on the upcoming invasion," Gaara said, wrinkling his nose as the offensive tobacco smoke invaded his olfactory senses, "You cannot be promoted if you are dead."

"Anyway," the Hokage said as he held up a hand to forestall Naruto, "I believe we have discussed enough tonight. I will address the village council and any information will be passed down through the Jonin sensei. Gaara, I suggest you discuss this with Baki and your siblings. Please inform me of their decision as soon as possible."

"Hai."

"And don't be a stranger either!" Naruto said as he slung an arm over Gaara's shoulder.

Suppressing the urge to feed Naruto to his sand, Gaara gave a curt nod and disappeared in a swirl of sand.

Naruto let out a frustrated huff of annoyance. "One of these days, I'm gonna learn the shunshin and rub it in everybody's face!"

"Naruto, the shunshin is simple: use the ram seal to focus your chakra and then envision where it is you'd like to go. The distance you have to travel determines the amount of chakra that is required to perform the jutsu."

Naruto stared at his Hokage for what seemed like an eternity. Sarutobi soon became uncomfortable under the boy's piercing gaze, but then, ever so slowly, Naruto's gaze quickly shifted to the patch of hardwood flooring next to Sarutobi's desk before the genin's hands formed the "ram" seal…

"Holy shit!" Naruto exclaimed as he disappeared in a puff of smoke, rematerializing next to the Sandaime.

"It's a very simple D-rank jutsu, Naruto…"

"Why doesn't _everyone_ do this _all _the time!?"

"Because the shunshin requires chakra, and most ninja don't have reserves the size of yours and therefore prefer to conserve their chakra until it is needed. That is why they only shunshin when they need to travel quickly, otherwise they simply walk." Sarutobi explained as Naruto continued to disappear and reappear around his office, finally stopping as he appeared on top of the elderly Hokage's desk.

"Hmm," Naruto huffed haughtily, "then I'm gonna make my own variation of the shunshin that'll put everybody to shame!" Naruto exclaimed as he shunshin'd away to only God knows where.

"_My God, what have I done?" _Sarutobi asked himself as he withdrew another plug of tobacco for his pipe.

"Ah," Sandaime sighed contentedly as the soothing smoke once again filled his lungs, "things are never easy in this world, but if we can turn Sunagakure into our ally… then perhaps we will be better equipped to fend off the coming war. But is it enough?"

_No._

That little voice nagging at the back of Sarutobi Hiruzen's skull rang with brutal honesty. While the village had far superior shinobi compared to its opponents, Kumo and Ame had their own advantages. Ame, while small, was located in a ruthless, xenophobic nation that kept to itself. As such, not very many of the other nations were privy to their tactics, Konoha being no exception. The only advantage one could hold over Amegakure was the fact that the village and, by extension the entire nation, was locked in a bitter civil war. This inevitably led to the factions opposing whoever dared to ally with an opposing faction; effectively cutting the amount of aid an allied nation would receive from Ame in half.

Kumogakure, on the other hand was in possession of _two_ jinchuuriki. The Nekomata and the Hachibi no Kyogyuu were terrible opponents to have to face. Added in with the fact that if Ame and Kumo were to mobilize against Konoha, Iwagakure would most certainly join them, it quickly became apparent that Konoha was in quite the spot of trouble.

"_Very troubling, indeed. Allying with Suna might not be enough to stave off the village's enemies. If Kusa could be convinced to join us then perhaps things could work out in our favor, but I still fear it might not be enough. Akatsuki will certainly use the coming turmoil to ease their search for the jinchuuriki. I suppose it is good that Jiraiya has resumed his search for information…"_

"It's a shame that he couldn't meet young Naruto." Sandaime muttered wistfully. _"But I suppose these things are unavoidable,"_ he thought as he continued to smoke his pipe, _"Just like a great many things in life."_

Sarutobi Hiruzen put out his pipe and looked at the photo of Minato and Jiraiya he kept on his wall.

"I believe it is time to take drastic measurements to ensure the Village's safety." _"As well as Naruto's"_

Sandaime reached in his desk and withdrew a scroll to begin writing down his plans for finalization. "I think the time to call upon on an old friend has arrived." With those whispered words, Hiruzen put his pen to paper, mindful of the month ahead.

* * *

**Jutsu ****(In order of appearance)**

**Sabaku Kyuu- **Sand Binding Coffin

**Sabaku Soso- **Sand Waterfall Funeral

**Onipou: Akufuuin Henkou- **Demon Art: Demonic Seal Manipulation

**Gofuu Kekkai- **Five Seals Barrier

**Onipou: Fuuin Hakai- **Demon Art: Seal Destruction

**Kyoumen Shuuja no Jutsu**- Mirrored Sudden Attacker Technique

**A/N:** Greetings and salutations, faithful readers. I'll begin by apologizing for the wait. Sorry 'bout that. This chapter needed a bit more rewriting than normal because I wanted to make sure I portrayed Gaara correctly. I'm sure you've noticed that he might be changing just a tad too quickly. However, in the show Gaara began his metamorphosis when he finished his fight with Naruto, and that won't be happening in this story. As such, I am forced to use words, rather than violence, to change the young lad. And to address a few other questions that have come down the pipeline:

1) Yes, Kyuubi's form changes often. There is a purpose to that, and yes, he is a bit crazy.

2) Naruto is in fact changing clothes as the story progresses; he's a teenager, they don't know what the hell they like.

3) No Kyuubi-Naruto-Hinata ménage á trios. If that's your thing, then that's fine. But it will not be happening here because it would not fit in the story. Kyuubi is not attracted to Naruto; that was about power.

4) Any sort of religious references and/or remarks are for plot purposes and _**do not**_ reflect my personal views/beliefs.

5) Fuck Danzo, he'll become Hokage over my dead body (yes, I hate him. However, I don't character bash in my stories).

6) This is premature, but Sandaime's "friend" is not Tsunade or Jiraiya, and "call upon" does not necessarily mean a triumphant return to the village. But hey, feel free to guess and if you get it right I'll give you some info on the next chapter.

Those are the only questions I can think about. As for the story, the next chapter will be a small interlude that covers the coming month. That does not mean that it will focus entirely on training. After that, we'll have the chunin exam finals and the first action-oriented chapter where all the kids show off their fancy new tricks. I believe that I've talked enough, so now I'll ask you to review, please. More reviews equal a happier me. That in turn results in more motivation.

So review with your questions and/or comments. It'll make my day

-Andrew


	8. Chapter 7: A Hard Rain's Agonna Fall

**Act One, Chapter 7: "A Hard Rain's A-gonna Fall"**

"_Oh, what did you hear, my blue-eyed son?_

_And what did you hear, my darling young one?_

_I heard the sound of a thunder that roared out a warnin',_

_Heard the roar of a wave that could drown the whole world,_

_I heard one hundred drummers whose hands were a-blazin',_

_I heard ten thousand whisperin' and nobody listenin',_

_I heard one person starve, I heard many people laughin',_

_Heard the song of a poet who died in the gutter,_

_I heard the sound of a clown who cried in the alley,_

_And it's a hard, it's a hard, it's a hard, it's a hard,_

_It's a hard rain's a-gonna fall."_

"A Hard Rain's A-gonna Fall" by Bob Dylan

* * *

"I don't agree with what you are doing, Nagato."

With a weary sigh, the pale man turned his Rinnegan-infused gaze on the blue-haired kunoichi, his oldest friend. "I know, Konan. But unfortunately there is no other option; this is our home, and therefore our fight."

"But surely it would do no harm if we were to delay our plans and recall the organization's active members to assist us." The woman argued.

"No. It is far too risky to have all of us assembled in a single location; each member of Akatsuki has their purpose, and the liberation of Amegakure is ours…" Nagato answered as Konan continued to inspect the chakra transmitters he was currently connected too.

"Surely you have another reason, Nagato. I find it hard to believe that there is a risk in gathering the most powerful shinobi alive in a single location."

The emaciated figure of Nagato grimaced as Konan adjusted a chakra spike in his back. "I do not want Madara to be a part of this. While he may be Akatsuki's 'leader' and financial backer, _I _do not trust him, and I will not permit him to assume hold of Ame like he did in Kiri."

"Why are you suspicious of Madara?"

"Because I believe he means to use the power of the bijuu for himself; he is determined to restore his Sharingan's power. All he cares for is Konoha's destruction, and mindless destruction is not something I will permit."

The origami master bit her lip thoughtfully. "Then your proposed alliance with Kumogakure is a farce and you intend to spare Konoha?"

Nagato shook his head, fiery red hair swaying with the motion. "No. I despise Konoha for what its shinobi did to my family… what _he_ did to Yahiko. I will see to it that Konohagakure is razed to the ground, but not for my own selfish purposes. Konoha must fall because they and their allies would oppose the peace we are trying to build. In a perfect world we would not have to go to war with the whole world… but this is not a world of perfection, it is _our_ world.

"And the path to peace begins with the liberation of Amegakure and the death of Hanzo."

Konan sighed as she finished inspecting Nagato's chakra apparatus. "Is there nothing I can say to change your mind, Nagato?"

"I'm afraid not, Konan. I have planned for this day since before we created Akatsuki… ever since the day Yahiko was taken from us. It is my destiny to bring peace to this land. If there was only one thing I learned from Jiraiya-sensei, it was that."

The kunoichi nodded and left the room, quietly making her way down one of the hideout's many halls. It was not long before she was joined by a young man with spiky orange hair dressed in the same black cloak as she; another painful reminder of the past.

In the present, he was Pein's Deva path.

"You are angry with me."

Konan repressed the urge to pinch her nose in irritation as the two entered a room lined with six large glass cylinders. "I'm not mad, I'm frustrated. Will you at least use the five other Paths to assist you?"

Pein eyed his companion thoughtfully as she began checking the machines monitoring his other bodies. "I do not believe it wise to reveal _all_ of my abilities prematurely. The rest will remain here while you, I, and our followers handle the situation. Should Hanzo prove too much, _then_ I will summon the others."

"You are playing a dangerous game, Nagato."

The man chuckled as he began to walk towards a small opening at the back of the room; finished with her inspection, Konan followed.

The pair emerged on a small balcony built into the mountains overlooking Amegakure. Pein looked down on the village that lay before him. "So small… and so horribly misguided," he remarked, not even bothering to take notice of the rain that poured and rolled off his cloak, "Hanzo and his followers' corruption will be removed from this land… after he is disposed of, I will seek out all who have been swayed under his lies and erase them from this place… none of them will be spared from my wrath."

The blue haired kunoichi scowled at the sky and opened up an oiled parasol produced from inside her cloak. "And what of Ame's citizens?"

"They will know my mercy, and together we will rebuild this village as the shining light of our new world."

"I see. I suppose you'd like to be alone now?"

Pein nodded. "I need to prepare myself, Konan."

The kunoichi placed a gentle hand on her friend's shoulder before making her way back inside.

"Oh, and Konan…"

She turned around, blue eyes meeting the silver and black rings that made up the Rinnegan. "Yes?"

A grin. "Smile a bit. Tomorrow we make Yahiko's dream all the more real."

* * *

Haruno Sakura sat under a small tree as she watched her two teammates with a scrutinizing eye. In the past few days she had learned more about Uzumaki Naruto than in the entire half decade she had known him.

"_That sounds kinda pathetic…"_

Was she really so blind… so ignorant? How could she, the brightest kunoichi in her class, have overlooked the fact that the boy she tried _so_ hard to ignore was the jinchuuriki of the Kyuubi no Yoko?

And there it was.

Ever since meeting the boy who was currently trying to freeze over a drop of water in his palm, Sakura had done her best to push the very thought of the overactive blond from her mind. With Uzumaki Naruto came loud, reckless, and… _orange_. Those were three of the things that Sakura was **not**. The young girl was soft spoken and respectful to those she met (for the most part), Naruto yelled a lot. She always thought things through and went over the best possible outcome before acting, Naruto yelled "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" and dove right in. Then there was color, Sakura had a head full of "beautiful, baby soft pink hair" (her mother's words) and wore a red dress to accentuate the fact. Naruto was cursed with an unruly mop of blond and wore orange for God only knows why.

No, it seemed as if fate had decreed that Haruno Sakura and Uzumaki Naruto were to be polar opposites, destined to rub each other the wrong way.

Sakura blushed. _"That came out wrong…"_

But fate apparently has a sense of humor, and chose to express it by throwing the two genin onto the same team; not satisfied, the powers that be decided to add the object of Sakura's affections into the mix as well. And yet, she still blamed Naruto, the boy who, until recently, only had eyes for her. The spunky genin would have done anything to have Sakura reciprocate his feelings; he'd have done anything for the pink haired girl to notice him…

Sakura bit her lip to stem the tears that threatened to fall. _"I… I was so horrible to Naruto. Is that how the rest of the village treats him? Am I no better than the villagers that curse and berate him? All he ever wanted was a date…" _

The kunoichi's head jerked up when she heard Naruto huff in frustration. The pinkette watched as her blond teammate hurled a purple crystal at a nearby tree and angrily lit a cigarette that he popped in his mouth.

"What?" Naruto asked after he finally noticed Sakura staring at him.

Sakura's eyes darted from the cigarette, to the offending gem, and back to Naruto. "Is everything alright?"

"Element manipulation is hard, Sakura-chan. I can produce the ice, I can create crystals, I've made lava, and yesterday I grew tiny tree with Yamato-sensei." Here Naruto took a drag from his cigarette and exhaled it dramatically, "But for _some_ reason I can't put it all together to complete my training assignment," the blond whined.

Sakura sighed as she picked up Naruto's discarded jewel and handed it back to him. "Well, I might not have an affinity for Yoton, Shoton, Hyoton, or Mokuton," the girl began, "but I'm assuming that your problem is precise chakra control. Maybe you should try practicing simpler chakra control exercises like balancing a kunai on your palm or walking up a tree while using chakra to keep a leaf stuck to your forehead."

"Ugh! It's always 'chakra control!' I swear if the stuff wasn't so damn useful I'd swear off it altogether!" Naruto pouted as he ground out his cigarette.

"You could try focusing on the transition from crystal to lava; that seems to be where you're having the most trouble, dobe."

Naruto and Sakura stared at their Uchiha counterpart in shock.

"_Sasuke offering to help _me_!?First Sakura now him… what the hell's going on today?"_

The Uchiha willed away the blush attempting to color his cheeks as he glared at his comrades' scrutiny. "What? It was a logical suggestion…"

"That… that's true, Sasuke-kun, but-"

"Since when do you hand out advice like it's candy!?" Naruto asked incredulously.

Sasuke was saved the embarrassment of having to come up with a satisfactory response (something he would have failed at) by the sudden appearance of the team's perpetually late sensei.

"Yo."

The tenacity in which Naruto changed gears caused Sasuke and Sakura to blink twice as they saw their teammate whip around and point an accusing finger at Kakashi. "YOU'RE LATE!"

"Sorry about that. On my way over I came across a little old lady who was struggling to haul her barrel of cotton after it was caught in the mud; I couldn't just leave her there…"

"LIAR!" Naruto and Sakura screamed.

"'Liar?' Me? I'm hurt…" Kakashi simpered as he held a hand over his heart; the vein pulsing in Sakura's temple only increased its throbbing. "Uh… well… anyway, I've decided that today we'll be learning some new ninjutsu to add to the team's arsenal."

Sasuke scoffed as he watched Naruto's face split into the biggest shit-eating grin he'd ever seen. "What are you so happy about, dobe? When was the last time you saw Kakashi perform any Yoton, Shoton, Mokuton, or Hyoton jutsu?"

The change was instantaneous; Naruto looked like a small child who had just been told his birthday had been cancelled. _"But teme's right… no one uses the same kind of elements as me…"_

Kakashi's eye curved, signifying that the clever jonin was smiling. "Very observant of you, Sasuke. Luckily, however, the jutsu _Naruto_ is going to learn doesn't involve any elemental manipulation."

The birthday party was back on. "HA! In your face, Sasuke-teme!"

"Hn."

"Anyway, before we begin the process of expanding our horizons we must first take care of the necessary prerequisites…" Kakashi explained as he removed three tiny, square pieces of paper from his pocket and handed one to each of his students. "This is chakra paper; when you channel some chakra into it will react and tell you your elemental affinity."

Kakashi watched as his students took the chakra paper in their hands and began channeling their chakra. The copy-nin walked to his only kunoichi student and waited expectantly.

Sakura looked at the paper Kakashi had given her and watched it crumble away into tiny flakes. "What does that mean, Kakashi-sensei?"

"It means you have an affinity for Doton, Sakura… not the most common in our village, but it is decently represented. In fact, Hokage-sama has an earth affinity to match his affinity for fire."

Sakura beamed at the information before scrunching her brow in contemplation. "But Sensei, I thought a shinobi could only have a single affinity…"

"While it _is_ true that most shinobi only have a single affinity, there is no restriction on the amount of affinities someone can have. Although I've never heard of a shinobi with more than three affinities… Anyway, it is important to remember that having an affinity does _not_ mean you can only use the element that corresponds with your affinity; an affinity simply means that jutsu of that nature will come easier to you and will often be more powerful. However, mastering any element takes a lot of time and hard work."

Seeing that his three charges understood his words, Kakashi moved on to the team's resident 'genius.' The Uchiha prodigy focused his chakra and the two Sharingan wielders watched as the paper wrinkled up before turning to ash.

"What does this mean?" Sasuke asked, watching the paper's ashes lose themselves to the breeze.

"Well… the wrinkling is the sign for a lightning affinity and the ashes represent fire." _"This will make things easier…"_ "Fire affinity is common in the village –more so in the Uchiha clan –and there are plenty of techniques that are original to Konohagakure. I assume your clan home also contains a collection of Katon scrolls?"

Sasuke nodded. "I have begun learning from them."

"Good." Kakashi chirped merrily. "But you'll soon find that a lightning affinity is not common in Konoha; it is the second rarest affinity, after wind. But luckily for you, Sasuke, there exists a jonin of insurmountable strength who is feared throughout the Five Elemental Countries as a master of Raiton jutsu!"

The three genin looked at their sensei in awe, too enraptured by his poetic words. Sakura suddenly felt a pang of jealousy as she stared at the ground, _"It's just dirt, really…"_ Sasuke could barely contain his excitement as a wicked grin stretched over his face, eyes sparkling with greed; his amusement was only further heightened as he saw Naruto struggling to contain his excitement. The blond genin's fist were clenched and shaking as he trained his eyes skyward, waiting for this godly shinobi to descend down from the heavens amidst rolling thunder and crackling lightning. _"This is gonna be soooo fuckin' sweet!"_

The cycloptic jonin stared as his charges' imagination took hold of them; he coughed lightly into his hand to bring them back to reality. "Sakura! Quit moping like a kicked puppy. Sasuke! Your face resembles that of an Akimichi staring at a buffet. Naruto! No matter how hard you stare, God is not going to emerge from those clouds. The shinobi I was referring to was myself; _I_ have an affinity for lightning," Kakashi reprimanded.

The three genin snapped to attention, somewhat disappointed at the Thunder God's lack of existence.

"Well… well fuck…" Naruto mumbled as he stole one last wistful look at the sky.

"Anyway… I believe it's your turn, Naruto."

Nodding, the genin focused his attention on the tiny slip of paper and began to channel his chakra into it. After a few seconds, the tiny square of paper began to glow a deep red; Naruto's efforts were rewarded when the chakra paper promptly melted.

"Ouch!" The hanyo howled as he shook his injured hand in the air. "Kakashi-sensei, what the hell!?"

The jonin rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Hmmm… I suppose that means you have an affinity for your Yoton jutsu in particular. Congratulations."

"**You're welcome, boy…"**

"_This is your doing?"_

"**In a way… without me you wouldn't even know what 'Yoton' is." **Kyuubi answered before cutting off their conversation.

"Well, now that we know where everyone stands," Kakashi began, "the teaching can begin!" The jonin walked over to his only female student and handed her two scrolls produced from his pocket. "These are the first Doton jutsu you'll learn. Watch carefully."

The copy-nin took a few steps back from his genin before flying through a set of seals. "Doton: Retsudotenshou!" The ground between Kakashi quickly spiraled in on itself, creating a sunken whirlpool of earth. "As you can see, this jutsu is used primarily to immobilize an opponent. However," Kakashi looked at disrupted earth and sighed, "if it is used near mountains or in caves, it can have a much deadlier result…"

The Sharingan wielder then placed his hands in the "tori" seal before crying, "Doton: Doryuusou!" The whirlpool of earth suddenly shifted and half a dozen solid spears sprung forth. "This second jutsu can also be used to immobilize an opponent… or completely incapacitate them. By altering the amount of chakra used, Sakura, you can determine the amount of spears produced, and their length. But it is important to remember that the spears will not penetrate things denser than themselves, like metal."

With an excited squeal, the grinning girl greedily snatched up the scrolls and made off to a nearby clearing to begin.

Expecting similar treatment, Sasuke and Naruto exchanged equally excited smirks.

"Alright, Sasuke, you're next." The Uchiha's eyes glittered with anticipation as he activated his Sharingan. "That won't be necessary," Kakashi corrected as he pulled out a brush and bottle of ink, "To be able to perform this jutsu, you must first train your body more; I should know… I designed it myself." The jonin explained while Sasuke shot a smirk at an obviously jealous Naruto.

"Kakashi!? What are you-"

"These seals will weigh you down," the jonin explained as he applied one to each of Sasuke's limbs, "It is imperative that your speed increases if you ever hope to master this jutsu." Kakashi put his ink and brush away and placed his hands in the "ushi" seal.

Naruto let out a bark of laughter as he watched his teammate visibly sag under the added weight.

"Good. Now start running."

Sasuke looked up at his sensei, loathing burning in his eyes. "How far?"

Kakashi placed his hands in a familiar seal. "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu." A second Kakashi poofed into existence and promptly drew out six shuriken. "I'll tell you when to stop."

The Uchiha's eyes widened before he quickly began to run towards the forest bordering the training grounds, leaving only dust, a pair of Kakashis, and a laughing Naruto behind.

"He's going pretty slow…" The first Kakashi remarked.

The second nodded, already forming seals. "Katon: Karyuu Endan!" The clone watched for a few seconds as a dragon made of fire began to fly after Sasuke before beginning its own pursuit.

"And then there was one…"

"Whatcha got for me, Kakashi-sensei?" Naruto asked excitedly.

The famed scarecrow ninja pulled off his pack and made quite a show of rummaging through it.

"_Oh man, this is gonna be good…"_ Naruto thought eagerly, practically drooling as visions of power, skill, and fame danced through his head.

Taking extra time to stand, Hatake Kakashi presented his student with the fruit of his search.

Naruto blinked. "A water balloon?" He deadpanned.

Kakashi's eye curved in a smile. "Today's lesson is rotation!"

* * *

"Today is the day that we have long awaited. For too long have I heard my people cry out for salvation, only to be ignored! To the rest of the world The Second Great Shinobi War has ended and seen its successor… but to US, the war continues!

"Deep in the heart of Ro no Kuni, raging through Amegakure, the flames of battle still burn, still consume… they still destroy…" The man standing on the balcony trailed off as he slowly took in all that was before him.

"Ame has been left behind, ignored, by the rest of the world. While the Five Great Shinobi Villages sit back and squabble amongst themselves like spoiled children, we huddle in fear as the never-ending rain continues to pour… no one bothers to listen as we cry out for salvation.

"The rest of the world is content to wallow away in war, hatred, and suffering… all the while ignoring the descent into destruction they are currently heading into. The world has turned its back on our people. At night the children cry 'save us!' to the heavens."

"Rain is the only answer."

"When the elderly cry 'save us!' to the heretics that rule over us… violence is the only answer."

"When we cry 'save us!' to those who'd stop to listen… tears are the only answer."

The man looked to his right, he met the eyes of His angel; she nodded. "And so, people of Amegakure, I ask you this: is the life that has been handed to you, all the violence, all the bombs, all the tears, all the hate, all the deaths… people of Amegakure, is it acceptable?"

The effect was instantaneous. A wave of sound crashed as it rolled over the scores of shinobi and civilians assembled beneath their God.

"NO!!!"

God smiled down on his people. "Then you know what must be done. Today we begin _our_ war… our war for the hope of a new, better world. Today we march to their tower –an affront to our existence –and we overthrow their false idol.

"Today, my children, the people of Amegakure march to the despot who sits upon his ill begotten throne of hate and we bring him to his knees. Today, we bring justice to Hanzo the Salamander and his band of heretics!"

Pein nodded to Konan before raising his hand to the sky. The assembled revolutionaries could only stare in wonder as the clouds parted, bringing an unnatural respite from the torrential rainfall. "Follow my angel… she will watch over you." Konan stepped forward and spread her wings.

"Good luck, Nagato." She whispered before taking flight.

The masses cheered uproariously as they followed God's most faithful follower into their Holy War.

God himself looked down upon the sight before him and smiled.

The sun was shining.

* * *

"Good morning, students!"

Naruto whipped around, angrily grinding the remains of his cigarette into the ground. "You're late!"

A few seconds later…

"And who's that?"

"Well, by a fortunate mistake, I happened to run into an old friend of mine who has consented to assist in your training for the day."

"Now, now, Kakashi-senpai, you know we don't make mistakes; we just have happy little accidents!" The newcomer simpered.

The jonin chuckled. "Too true, Ni-kun."

Naruto snorted. "Ni-kun?"

"Ah. Where are my manners? Sakura, Naruto, Sasuke, this fine shinobi is Mizukara Nikushimi, chunin of Konohagakure no Sato." Kakashi introduced, clapping a hand on the young man's shoulder. "Ni-kun, these are my students: Uzumaki Naruto, Uchiha Sasuke, and Haruno Sakura."

"It's nice to meet you guys. I suppose my first lesson should be to warn you about nicknames: choose wisely, the first one is often the one that sticks…"

Sasuke's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "What exactly did you intend Mizukara-san to do with us, Kakashi?"

The copy-nin's eye curved indicating a smile hidden underneath his mask. "Why a spar of course! Ni-kun is one of this village's most accomplished shinobi; it astounds me that he is still a chunin…"

It was Nikushimi's turn to chuckle. "Kakashi-senpai, you're going to make me blush. Besides, you know someone such as I can't be bothered with something as trivial as the Jonin Exam."

"Wait, you're a chunin!? But you can't be much older than we are." _"He must be a powerful shinobi to have made chunin at his age… and Kakashi-sensei seems to think very highly of him,"_ Sakura thought as she appraised the shinobi standing next to her sensei.

The teen had long, brown hair that he let hang down about his head, save for a few beaded braids that framed his handsome face (Sakura blushed at the unwanted thought). On his body he wore a simple gray haori tied at the waist with a matching gray sash and a very loose pair of black shinobi pants. Sakura turned a deeper shade of red when she noticed that Nikushimi wore nothing under his haori and that the sash's low positioning allowed it to expose the toned, sensual muscles…

"_No! Impure thoughts! Bad, Sakura, bad!"_

"You are correct, Sakura. I am but fifteen. Suffice it to say that-" Nikushimi paused as he coughed into a black handkerchief that was tied to a band on his left ring finger. "-I am that good."

Sakura forced a smile onto her face and ignored the blood now staining the piece of cloth. "I'll take your word for it, Ni-kun."

"He doesn't look so tough!" Sakura groaned as her boisterous teammate let his mouth run rampant… again. "Look at 'em; he's about to keel over! I bet he can't even- OW!"

The blond was brought to screeching halt has Sakura's fist collided with his skull. "Naruto! How could you be so rude!?" The girl admonished. "Haven't you been paying attention to what Kakashi-sensei's been telling us? 'Look underneath the underneath?'" Sakura reminded Naruto, although the finger quotes were unnecessary…

"But Sakura-chaaaan," the genin whined, "He's sick! He's coughing like that sickly proctor from the preliminaries."

"Ugh! You can be so insensitive, Naruto!" Sakura turned to the chunin and gave a small bow. "I apologize for my teammate's lack of… tact, Ni-kun."

The brunette waved her off. "Think nothing of it, Sakura. He is quite correct to zone in on my weakness; in fact, I've noticed your other teammate's gaze has been lingering on my chest, no doubt plotting how to best bypass my defenses and strike at my lungs. Or perhaps he's taking time to admire my well-toned pectorals…" The joke aroused a guffaw of laughter from Naruto and a rosy blush from Sakura.

"Hn."

Nikushimi coughed once more. "Anyway, it is also important to note that the fact that I've an _obvious_ weakness must surely mean I possess _some_ manner of skill that has allowed me to become a chunin…"

"You say that now, Ni-kun. But I wonder if you can back it up?" Naruto challenged.

"Only one way to find out, Naruto-_chan_…"

The blond grinned at the taunt; this spar was an opportunity to test all that he had learned over the past month. And with the finals only five days away, the jinchuuriki was getting a bit anxious. "True. So which one of us gets to go first?"

"That would hardly be fair, Naruto. It will be a three on one match with Kakashi-senpai acting as referee."

The three genin visibly tensed at the stipulations, each looking towards their sensei for confirmation.

"He's right," Kakashi agreed, "This is a 'realistic' spar. Just as when you participated in the Bell Test, if you don't come at Ni-kun with the intent to kill him… he will indeed make short work of you."

The three genin nodded and took up a standard battle formation.

"Oh! One last thing." Kakashi strode in front of Sasuke and formed the "ram" seal. "Kai! There you go, good luck." With that the jonin leapt up to a nearby tree to watch the coming spectacle.

Sasuke could only smirk as he felt the weight of the seals relinquish and a feather-light feeling overtook him.

"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"

The Uchiha sighed as twenty Narutos popped into existence. _"So predictable, dobe. At least it'll give me and Sakura a chance to observe Nikushimi's abilities…"_

The twenty Naruto clones grinned at each other as their leader cried out "Get 'em!"

"Too predictable, Naruto-kun," Nikushimi sighed, mimicking Sasuke's thoughts, as he flew threw a few seals. "Raiton: Jibashi!" The genins watched as a wave of electricity erupted from the chunin's upheld hands, colliding with the bunshins and electrocuting them into smoky oblivion. "That won't work. You should know by now that nearly everyone is aware of your love for Kage Bunshin; find something new."

"Awww… are a few clones a bit too much for you to handle, Ni-kun? Or maybe you're jealous, hmm?" Naruto laughed as he once again spawned a platoon of shadow clones.

"That is not the point, Naruto-kun. The point is that you need to work more variety into your attacks."

"You know what they say: 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it!'" Naruto shouted as he signaled his clones to draw their kunai and begin their advance on Nikushimi.

"You disappoint me, Naruto-kun. You treat this as if it were a game. Rest assured, it is not."

Nikushimi brought his hands together and began sealing.

_Ox, Monkey, Hare, Rat, Boar, Bird, Ox, Horse, Bird, Rat, Tiger…_

Sasuke's eyes widened as he caught onto the chunin's intentions. "Sakura!" He shouted, "Fall back!"

The kunoichi nodded and moved several feet back from Naruto's clones.

…_Dog, Tiger, Snake, Ox, Ram, Snake, Boar, Ram, Rat, Monkey, Bird, Dragon, Bird, Ox, Horse, Ram, Tiger, Snake, Rat, Monkey…_

"Naruto! Get back!"

"Huh?"

… _Hare, Boar, Dragon, Ram, Rat, Ox, Monkey, Bird, Rat, Boar…_

… _Bird_ "Suiton: Suiryuudan no Jutsu!"

"_Shit!"_

Sasuke ran as fast as he could to make it to his blonde teammate, but it was too late. The ground around Nikushimi quickly became saturated before a massive torrent of water erupted, splintering the earth between the chunin and the clones that would oppose him. The water violently coalesced and Sasuke, Naruto, and Naruto's clones soon found themselves looking up at a water dragon that easily dwarfed anything Kakashi or Zabuza ever produced.

The great beast reared up behind its master and let loose an earsplitting roar that shook the very ground.

Then it attacked.

Nikushimi's dragon snapped its jaws and dove at the clones standing before it. The resulting impact caused the water to lose its form, sending a geyser of the clear liquid rocketing into the sky as the clones were swept away in the raging currents.

Naruto gritted his teeth as the violent waves slammed Sasuke and himself into a nearby tree. "Damn…" the blond groaned as the tree lost a few of its leaves from the impact. "You alright, Sasuke?"

"I'll live… and next time, don't stand there like an idiot!" The Uchiha chided as he took in the now rearranged landscape. The once dry training ground now had a man-made lake occupying the broken earth where the dragon had collided with the ground.

"Sasuke-kun, Naruto! Are you both alright?" Sakura asked as she landed by her teammates.

"We're good, Sakura-chan," Naruto answered, wincing as he stood up.

"Who's next?" Called a soft voice. Team 7 turned their gazes towards the lake and saw Nikushimi standing on its surface with an expectant look. "Perhaps you'd deign to show me the power of the Uchiha clan, Sasuke-kun?"

The Uchiha scion's fist clenched as he pushed chakra into his eyes. "Very well…"

"Say, Sasuke-kun, how's your taijutsu?"

The red-eyed genin only smirked as he disappeared from his teammates' sight, reappearing with a loud "crack" as his fist slammed into Nikushimi's face. "Good enough?"

"No."

Sasuke tried to roll out of the way when he saw the shinobi in front of him burst into water, but was unable to avoid the kick that sent him rocketing across the lake's surface.

"_Mizu Bunshin… damn," _The boy thought as he rubbed his jaw. "You are quite skilled, Mizukara-san."

"I try."

Sasuke snorted at the quip before quickly flinging a pair of kunai at the chunin before rushing him, eager to resume their taijutsu battle.

Kakashi watched from a nearby tree as his student and colleague put on a taijutsu exhibition that would cause even Gai to quirk an eyebrow, if one could call those… _things _eyebrows, in surprise. _"Very good, Sasuke. Your form is top-notch and your speed is enough to match Ni-kun's. But I wonder… will you let your temper get the better of you?"_

Nikushimi ducked as Sasuke aimed another kick for his chest. The raven-haired boy had formed a strategy and stuck to it, sending blow after blow in the direction of his opponent's obviously weak lungs. _"The kid's got a good head on his shoulders…"_ The young chunin's mental praise was rewarded with a right hook to his jaw that sent him staggering backwards.

"Well done, Sasuke-kun," Nikushimi acknowledged as he spat a mouthful of blood into the water. "But I'm afraid you aren't quite up to Itachi's level, yet."

The offhanded comment had the desired effect as Sasuke's eyes narrowed dangerously and the boy let out a sharp spike of killing intent. "What would you know of _him_?"

"Quite a bit, actually. Your brother and I have quite a lot in common. We both graduated the Academy early, we are both accomplished assassins," Naruto and Sakura's eyes widened at that statement, "and neither of us had _pleasant_ family lives."

Sasuke drew another kunai and gripped it tightly. "It is foolish of you to think that you could even _compare_ to an Uchiha."

"Oh but I do compare, Sasuke-kun. I was this village's answer to Itachi. I was supposed to prove that Konohagakure no Sato could produce powerful shinobi without them turning into monsters like Orochimaru and Itachi. I was the next big thing in this village."

Nikushimi paused as he drew and unsheathed a tanto from his haori. "Some of the fools that run this village even went so far as to say that I had the potential to surpass Yondaime himself."

The Uchiha scoffed. "If what you say is true, how come I have never even heard your name? Surely a shinobi comparable to Yondaime-sama would be well known?"

Sasuke's answer was a particularly violent coughing fit. "This happened," the teen grinned, exposing a set of blood-tinged teeth.

The genin had to force himself not to cringe as he watched the pinkish spittle dribble down the chunin's chin before the man brought his handkerchief up to wipe it away. "This village used to see me as its 'savior.' I was going to bring untold amounts of glory to Konoha, but then they found out about my condition.

"Suddenly I wasn't good enough. Suddenly no one cared anymore, my family brushed me aside, my sensei began neglecting my training, and suddenly every smile turned into a dismissive shake of the head.

"'Such a shame,' they said."

Sasuke was indeed shocked at Nikushimi's story, but… "What does that have to do with anything? That doesn't prove you know anything about Itachi or the Uchihas!"

"Sasuke-kun, you don't spend a lifetime in someone's shadow without learning something about them. In fact, my first official mission as genin, when I was but nine years old, was to clean up the mess your big brother left behind in the Uchiha district. Uchiha Itachi was one of the greatest shinobi this worthless village ever produced.

"You are no Itachi."

"HEY!" Naruto shouted, drawing everyone's attention. "I'm gonna be Hokage someday and I don't appreciate shinobi bad mouthing MY village!"

The brunette only shook his head condescendingly. "I'll get to _you_ in a minute. But while I have everyone's attention, I'd like to ask you all a question: Why are Naruto and Sakura standing over there, doing nothing?"

"Hey! I'm scouting right now!"

Sasuke turned his blood-red eyes back on Nikushimi. "Ignore them; your battle is with me right now."

Nikushimi scratched his chin thoughtfully. "Is that so?" _"They never learn… I suppose this will have to be done the hard way, then…"_ "Sakura!" he barked, startling the kunoichi, "Why aren't you fighting right now?"

The girl looked at him like he was missing the obvious. "Well… it's Sasuke-kun's turn right now…"

He was gone in a flash.

The only warning Sasuke received was the slight disturbance on the lake's surface before he found himself on his knees with cold steel pressing to his neck. "What about now Sakura?" Nikushimi asked as he pressed the tip of his tanto into the juncture where Sasuke's neck met his jaw.

"Sasuke-kun!"

"Answer me!" The chunin demanded as he ignored the killing intent rolling off Naruto.

"I-I-I…"

"Well Sakura?" Nikushimi asked as he tightened his grip on Sasuke's hair. "Is it still Sasuke-kun's turn? What about after I drive this blade out the back of his skull because you and Naruto were too stupid to take this seriously? What happens when you find yourself on the battlefield and all that's around you are the bodies of your teammates because _you_ let their arrogant pride come before keeping each other alive? Tell me, Sakura, whose turn is it then?"

"MINE!"

Nikushimi kicked off the lake's surface just in time to avoid another of Naruto's Kage Bunshins. With the absence of an enemy, the clone was forced to dismiss itself to avoid driving its fist into Sasuke. The Uchiha used the distraction to shunshin away from Nikushimi.

"I think he got his point across," Sasuke admitted as he landed next to his teammates, "we will have to work together." The statement received nods of approval from Naruto and Sakura.

The members of Team 7 steeled themselves and stood united against their opponent.

"Well… at least you're attempting to work together…" Nikushimi said as he walked towards them, finally touching down on dry ground once again.

Sasuke pulled out his last kunai and readied himself. _"We can do this…"_

Sakura drew a handful of shuriken, intending to use them to corral her opponent into the best position to fall victim to a Doton jutsu. _"__**He's going down! SHANNARO!"**_

The brown-haired chunin looked at Naruto expectantly. "What about you, Naruto-kun? What've you got?"

"_Might as well try something new…"_ The blond flew threw a few seals. "Shoton: Suishou Tou!" Sasuke and Sakura turned to Naruto in surprise when they heard the new jutsu. The two cringed at Naruto's cry of pain as a curved blade made of blue crystal emerged from each of Naruto's forearms, extending a few inches past his hands.

Nikushimi slipped his tanto into the sash on his waist. "Mizu Bunshin no Jutsu." A band of water clones rose up from the lake and took their place to Nikushimi's right. "And," the chunin placed his hands in a familiar "cross" seal, "Raiton: Kage Bunshin no Jutsu." The lightning clones crackled into existence on the brunette's left. "Do you have anything else for me, Naruto-kun?" He asked lazily.

Naruto grinned as he wiped some of the blood clinging to one of his crystal blades on his right palm. "Just one more thing... Kuchiyose no Jutsu!" The blond cried as he slammed his palm on the ground.

A giant plume of smoke erupted and Mizukara Nikushimi was greeted with a most bizarre sight. The creature thrashing about before him _looked_ like a wolf… but then again there was no such thing as wolf that was part snake. And indeed, this… thing… did have a snake tail comprising the lower half of its body. Nikushimi was left with only one conclusion…

"Demon."

On cue, the massive monster turned a bulging, red eye on Nikushimi and began crawling towards him. _"Fuck…"_

"**Mortal! Your sin has brought me to this world! Tremble in fear before the mighty Doki!"**

"I'd rather not, Doki-san."

"**Arrogant cur! Do not presume that you may hide from **_**me**_**! I know what resides within your soul; I know what lurks beneath…"**

The chunin's eyes narrowed. _"Impossible… no one but Danzo knows…"_

"**Just as you judged **_**them**_**, I have judged YOU!" **The demon roared, flinging its spittle everywhere. **"And I have been summoned into this world so that I may drag your soul back to Hell with me!"**

"I don't-" cough "-think so… not today, anyway." Nikushimi pulled out his tanto again and addressed his bunshins. "Occupy the children."

* * *

"Your time is at an end, heretic."

The leader of Amegakure glared at the man- boy, rather- standing before him; everything about this young man exuded certainty. His spiky orange hair, a grim reminder of a past he thought long and gone. The billowing black cloak and its red clouds, nothing more than a manifestation of the _disease_ spawned by his mistakes. And finally, there was the hitai-ite. That simple piece of metal, with its four vertical lines, was a blatant mockery of everything he had worked for. All his life he had given everything to see that Amegakure remain stable… decades spent ensuring that, to the people of Dew Country, war was synonymous with victory.

All his life's work was slowly crumbling before him.

The criminal known as "Pein" had begun his siege of Amegakure twenty-one days ago. For those three weeks, the Hidden Rain Village had been subjected to endless fighting and destruction. Not only was Pein one of the most powerful ninja in the world, he also had his own personal army of Ame rebels. Hanzo was no fool, the fact that Pein also had the criminal organization known as Akatsuki at his disposal did not escape his notice. From what his operatives had gathered, Hanzo knew the organization was comprised of S-class missing nin, two of which were currently laying waste to his empire.

The old shinobi steeled his nerves as his eyes flicked to the horizontal slash that ran ominously through the usurper's hitai-ite. _"How symbolic…"_

"You will fail, whelp! Your megalomaniacal dreams will never come to fruition, and the world will soon be rid of your ilk!"

Akatsuki's leader stared calmly at the man before him. "I am afraid that you are mistaken, heretic. Today is the day that I begin building my empire… this is the beginning of the golden era of peace. For years the people have prayed for salvation, for peace… and for as long as we have existed, no one has bothered to step forward and create that peace," Pein explained as he pulled out a long chakra blade from his cloak and leveled it at Hanzo. "But know this, heretic: from your death will sprout the coming of God. Because of what happens here, beneath the stormy skies of our homeland, God will heal this land and ensure that God's kingdom is the shining light of peace that will share its hope with the world.

"Through your pain, the world will know peace."

"Save your religious babbling for the slaves that would kneel to your divine providence; you'll gain no sympathy from me. I understand that my time has come to an end, but I also know that I will not be journeying to Hell alone." Hanzo declared as he removed his respirator.

Pein calmly watched as Hanzo the Salamander displayed the reason for his moniker by summoning the giant creature that had made him feared throughout the Elemental Countries. The giant salamander towered over its summoner and his opponent, thrashing its tail eagerly.

"It ends today, rebel scum," Hanzo proclaimed as the salamander advanced on Pein.

The great beast reared up spewed a jet of boiling water at the Ame nuke-nin, forcing him to jump up to avoid being scalded. Despite a rather obvious difference of philosophies, Pein was not foolish enough to underestimate his opponent. Hanzo was a fearsome warrior credited with giving the legendary Sannin their title, and there was little doubt in Pein's mind that, were Hanzo twenty years younger, the battle might very well be headed in another direction.

"Your efforts are futile."

"So you say," Hanzo answered while wrapping up a sequence of seals, "Suiton: Souhahonryuu no Jutsu!" The Ame leader flung his two palms at the Akatsuki leader as a spiraling jet of water shot out of each palm. Hanzo grinned as he watched the salamander rush in after the jets of water, effectively pinning Pein down.

"Shinra Tensei." Hanzo next found himself flying backwards as gravity itself was bent to Pein's will, forced to repel everything away from its master. The rain-nin grunted as he stood once more; the battle had raged on for two hours but it seemed as if he had finally reached his limit. _"I suppose there's only one option left… _that_ jutsu…"_

"It ends now…" Hanzo muttered, wincing as he saw Pein drive his chakra blade into his oldest companion's side. _"One last favor, old friend…"_

Hanzo slammed his hands on the ground. "Hijutsu: Mizu Oyako Funka!"

Pein took a step back as he watched Hanzo's summon writhe in pain as its chakra was forcibly extracted to be used in the old man's final jutsu. When the chakra found its way back into Hanzo, he dug his hands into the ground. "DIE, TRAITOROUS DOG!"

The ground rumbled and cracked as hundreds of boiling water dragons shot up from the earth and spiraled into the air before diving down at their target.

"_Impressive…"_ "Chibaku Tensei." The ground rumbled once more as the matter around Pein rose to form a protective sphere, shielding Akatsuki's leader from the torrents of scalding water directed at him.

Hanzo the Salamander slouched as he felt the early effects of chakra exhaustion. _"All for nothing… damn it."_ He thought bitterly as he eyed the rocky sphere rising up from the crater Pein created. "Sui… Suiton: Suiryuu-"

The jutsu died in Hanzo's mouth when he spied a most peculiar sight; a ninja, female by the looks of it, was currently flying towards his location. _"So that is 'God's Angel'… an angel of death is more accurate…" _"Come to help your master, eh? Then you'll share the same fate as well!"

The words were menacing but were nothing but that: words. Words that held little force coming from a shinobi too stubborn to realize he's already dead.

"God his willed that you die this day," she began, "and His will is divine law. Kami Shuriken."

Hanzo chuckled. "Paper? This is war, woman! Not origami class!"

"Futon: Reppuushou!" The gravity sphere exploded as a fierce wind swept through the area and propelled Konan's shuriken forward at lethal speeds.

For the second time Hanzo found himself slammed into the outer wall of his tower.

He would not get up again.

"Damn bitch," Hanzo spat as he looked up at the two rebels standing over his shuriken-riddled body, "My only regret is that I won't be around to watch when someone wipes that self righteous look off your face." Pein raised an eyebrow as he readied his chakra blade. "Yeah, that's right, scum. Burn this image into your mind… memorize every minute detail, because one day you're going to find yourself broken and beaten as someone bigger than you holds _your_ life in _his_ hands. Then… you won't be so high and-"

Hanzo's words abruptly stopped as he coughed up a spurt of blood. With wide eyes, Hanzo the Salamander looked down at the blade piercing his heart.

"I will succeed. My cause is noble and my power absolute." Pein whispered as he watched Hanzo's eyes lose their luster. "I will not be stopped." The Rinnegan user made certain that life had left Hanzo's body before falling to his knees in exhaustion.

"Nagato!" In an instant Konan was on her knees next to him. "What is it!?"

"That jutsu… it uses a lot of chakra…"

"Do you need to return to the base?"

Pein shook his head. "No. Tell me, how are our forces fairing?"

"We have finished rounding up and exterminating Hanzo's forces; they are finished."

"Good. Have our forces begin the hunt for Hanzo's supporters. Have them kill all his allies, their families, and their associates. Spare no one."

"Hai. Nagato, I-"

"It is alright, Konan. We have waited our whole lives to see this day." Nagato couldn't help but look up to the sky, _"Soon, Yahiko… soon your dream of peace will be a reality."_

Konan gently placed her hand over Pein's. "He would be so proud of you, Nagato," she whispered.

"Thank you, Konan. But I'm afraid the time for rest will have to wait. I need you to lead the purge while I prepare to address our allies."

The blue-haired kunoichi nodded and quickly shunshin'd away.

"_Hmmm… once we have Ame secure, I will need to arrange a meeting between all of our members…"_

* * *

Mizukara Nikushimi was not having a good day. What started out as a sparring match with a purpose had quickly degraded into barely controlled chaos. All around him, lightning and water clones chased and attacked his three genin opponents. Team 7 had actually done a decent job of dispatching them, but they had yet to realize they were nothing but a distraction while their creator dealt with Naruto's unique summon.

"_Doki…"_

Just the name was enough to make Nikushimi seethe in anger. The great beast had already dislocated his left shoulder, a fact evidenced by the limp arm now resting inside the fold of his haori. _"I've had enough of this damn demon…"_

Said beast was currently drooling in anticipation as it watched the condemned soul before it. **"Why delay the inevitable, boy? Your place is with me, burning in the eternal flames of Hell!"**

"Fuck you," Nikushimi replied as a pair of clones appeared at his side and began running through seals. _"If I gather the chakra and let them mold it this should work…" _"Suiton: Ouuzu Matoi no Jutsu!"

The water in the lake suddenly sprang up in three columns behind Nikushimi and his clones, together they guided the water until the three columns spiraled around each other, forming a twisting vortex that was suddenly rocketing towards Doki.

The demon would not be taking a soul to Hell with him, the violent waters currently drilling him into the earth would see to that.

"**We will meet again, regardless of whether it is in this world or the next!"** Doki warned before he poofed out of existence.

A bloody cough was the only farewell the demon received. "Dick…"

Nikushimi turned towards the battle taking place to his right. Team 7 had managed to reduce his forces down to three lightning clones and a single water clone. _"Hmmm… chakra's about half gone. I think it's time to end things before they get out of hand, might as well teach these three something before I go to the hospital for treatment."_

"Kirigakure no Jutsu."

As Sakura and Sasuke simultaneously destroyed a lightning clone, a thick, all too familiar mist began to roll in and obscure the battlefield.

"Awww," Naruto whined, "not this again!"

"Shut up, dobe!" Sasuke whispered, suddenly worried that he and Naruto could no longer see Sakura, "If you keep mouthing off, he's gonna know where we are!"

A chuckle seemed to be coming from the mist itself. "Eight choices… liver, lungs, spine, clavicle vein, jugular, brain, kidneys, heart… so many choices"

Sasuke couldn't help but shudder as he remembered the battle with Zabuza. "It's a bluff, Naruto. He knows he can't kill us." Though they were true, Sasuke's words lacked conviction.

Nikushimi silently moved forward until he was directly behind his shaking pray…

"Boo."

The resulting scream attracted Naruto and Sasuke's attention. "Sakura!"

With a ram seal, one of the bunshins cleared out the mist to reveal Nikushimi and Sakura, the former holding a tanto to the latter's neck. Needless to say, the situation Naruto and Sasuke found themselves in was indeed unfavorable; not only was their teammate captured, but the two remaining clones were standing between them and their target.

"So… what are you going to do now, Sasuke-kun, Naruto-kun…?"

"Your bluff won't work, Mizukara-san. We know that you can't kill Sakura." Sasuke stated once more.

Nikushimi made sure he held Sasuke's crimson gaze as he pressed the blade deeper into Sakura's neck, eliciting a whimper from the young kunoichi as a trickle of blood leaked out of the broken skin. "You are correct, Sasuke-kun. But I wonder if you and Naruto-kun are content to sit there while I torture poor Sakura-chan…"

"If you hurt Sakura-chan in any way… I'll fucking kill you!" Naruto shouted as he readied his crystal blades.

Nikushimi leaned forward to whisper in Sakura's ear, but still kept his voice loud enough for Naruto and Sasuke to hear. "Isn't that cute, Sakura-_chan_?" The chunin asked, earning a shudder of disgust from his captive. "Awww… what's the matter, Sakura-chan? Do you not like our position? I must say you are rather fetching… a bit on the young side, but most men can look past that…"

Eve with her fear, Sakura still felt the ripples of rage. "Pervert!"

The brunette chuckled. "You wound me, Sakura-chan. You think me a pervert?"

"Y-Yes…"

"But you are quite beautiful, Sakura-chan. A kunoichi's body is another weapon, after all."

"W-What do you mean?"

"A weapon, Sakura… like a kunai or a shuriken. To this village your body is just another weapon. You think it is inappropriate and perverted for me to whisper in your ear, hold your body close to mine… I can't help but wonder what you will think when you are forced to lay with an old pervert with a penchant for pretty, innocent, young girls. What will you do then when you feel his alcohol-soaked breath burning on your neck, when his rough and calloused hands roam freely about your body, when his lips press roughly against your own…

"What will you do then? What the hell will a foolish little girl playing ninja do when she is forced to give herself to someone besides her precious _Sasuke-kun_?"

She knew she was crying, she knew it was shameful… but that still did nothing to stem her tears. "I-I… I don't-"

"You don't know; I'm not surprised. Perhaps a test where you actually do know the answers is in order, hmm?" Nikushimi turned his gaze to Naruto. "What is shinobi rule number one?"

"Uh…uh… a s-shinobi will prepare before it is too late!" Naruto blurted out.

"Good. Sasuke! What is shinobi rule number four?"

"A shinobi must always put the mission first."

"Correct. Naruto! What is shinobi rule number twenty-five?"

"_Shit!"_ "A shinobi should never… uh…"

Nikushimi tightened his grip on his tanto threateningly. "Hurry up Naruto! Sakura is depending on you."

"I… I don't know that one! I didn't know there would be a test!" Naruto wailed. He had never felt so helpless in his life. There was nothing he could do to help Sakura without putting her in even more danger.

"But you just told me the first shinobi rule was to always be prepared, did you not?"

"Y-Yeah…"

"But you didn't care about that, did you? What do the rules matter if you're no longer in class? Out of sight, out of mind, right? But that kind of thinking is coming back to bite you, isn't it? Now that there is a life and death situation you find yourself unprepared and it is your teammate who is suffering because of _your_ actions!"

"I-"

"You didn't think! Now Sakura suffers for it. Sakura," Nikushimi moved the tip of his tanto directly over her jugular, "what is shinobi rule number twenty-five?"

If the pink-haired kunoichi wasn't so terrified, she might have found the whole situation ironic. "A-A sh-shinobi must never show t-their tears!" She squeaked.

"You seem to be struggling with that particular rule, Sakura-chan. You all seem set into thinking that this is all fun and games; you think being a shinobi is some sort of personal definition that you get to pick out for yourself.

"I have read all of your files, and I have learned that you all have a problem with the definition of a shinobi. You," Nikushimi nodded towards Sasuke, "want nothing but power. You think only of getting stronger and killing Itachi. But do you ever stop and think about the act that is killing? You want to kill Itachi, but what happens when this godforsaken village sends you to assassinate a family and you find yourself pointing your blade at the heart of a child? Have you ever bothered to think about all the people you will have to kill _before_ you get to Itachi?"

Sasuke could only glare at Nikushimi.

"What about you, Sakura-chan? The whole reason you became a kunoichi was to impress a boy… is that all you want for yourself? A lifetime of trailing after Uchiha Sasuke in the hopes that your foolish crush will someday bear fruit? Such devotion isn't being a shinobi… it is nothing more than slavery."

"HEY! Leave Sakura-chan and Sasuke alone! What the hell do you know about anything!?"

"More than the three of you combined. By the time I was your age I had already killed more people than I had fingers and toes. I do not claim to be the best ninja ever to roam the lands, but I have seen and done things that would make all of you cringe in fear and disgust. And as for you, Naruto-kun, I know that you aspire to someday be Hokage. That is your dream, yes? Your reason for becoming a ninja?"

"That's right, Ni-kun! I'm gonna be the Godaime Hokage, and this whole village is going to respect me 'cuz I'm gonna be the BEST Hokage!"

"Are you now?" Naruto nodded fervently. "So are you prepared to accept all the responsibilities that come with that ridiculous hat?"

"You bet I am!"

"So you are prepared to put the village's needs before your own?"

"Of course!"

"You will ensure that Konohagakure is protected from those who would wish harm upon her?"

"Yeah!"

"You are prepared to accept even the most difficult of missions for the village and assign them to its shinobi?"

"Yes! The village will need high paying S-rank and A-rank missions!"

"So you, Uzumaki Naruto-_sama_, Fifth Hokage of Konoha, are prepared to send shinobi, many of whom are your friends, to their deaths?"

"Sure I am! I- wait, what!?" Naruto asked incredulously.

"Are you willing to send your friends to their deaths? As Hokage it is your duty to assign missions and as shinobi it is everybody else's duty to carry out those missions. But missions don't always go as planned, do they? Clients lie, spies get fed false intelligence, and difficult times call for near suicidal missions.

"So tell me, Uzumaki Naruto, do you have the strength of will to look a fellow shinobi in the eye and say 'go, die for this village while I sit at my desk and send others after you?'"

Were Nikushimi a less jaded person he might have hated himself for being the person chosen to do this… the one responsible for destroying a small part of Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke's innocence, the reason why their eyes would never be quite so bright again. _"It has to be done… Kakashi-senpai believes they will need it to survive the invasion."_

"W-Why? Why are you telling us these things?" Sakura asked when she saw Naruto's shoulders slump just a little bit.

"Because you need to know. In a few days this village will be at war with Otogakure. And before that happens there are certain things you need to know so that when the battle is won, because we _will_ win, you are not one of the ones in a box being lowered into the ground.

"Someone has to beat it into you that this village and its teachings are flawed. In the Academy you are taught one fundamental truth: your life for the village. You, mere children at the time, are taught that dying for your village is glorious and honorable." Nikushimi looked down at Sakura, honey colored orbs full of wisdom and untold horrors capturing mint colored ones full of fear and innocence, "Tell me Sakura-chan, how honorable and glorious would it be if this were an ambush and I was a Kiri nin about to slit your throat?

"Is that how you, any of you, dream of dying? The three of you started out like everyone else, just another kid that dreamt of being a shinobi and serving his village. But the problem is that nobody ever bothers to make you think twice about your dreams. Sakura-chan, you want to find love and happiness, Sasuke-kun, you want to avenge your clan, and Naruto-kun, you want to be Hokage. Your reasons for being a ninja are varied and unique, but they are utterly pointless."

"Fuck you! Who the hell are you to question our dreams!? You don't know me, you don't know anything about my life! You can't stand there and insult our ambitions!" Naruto shouted. The blond genin was quickly losing control of his temper and the result was manifesting itself in the form of a red chakra shroud.

"Is that so? You think your dreams matter to your enemies? Do you think dreaming of being Hokage, or falling in love and living happily ever after, or fulfilling your life's ambition mean anything on in the midst of battle?

"What the fuck does any of that matter… _how_ could any of that matter, the dream of shinobi, when you find yourself knee-deep in blood and surrounded by the bodies of your enemies? Will your dreams and wishes matter when 'shinobi' ceases to be an ideal and becomes a reality?"

After a few seconds of silence, Nikushimi released Sakura. "Sakura-chan, you have been captured and executed by the enemy. Go stand by Kakashi-senpai while Naruto, Sasuke, and I finish up."

The pinkette nodded and made to move but stopped when Nikushimi grabbed her wrist. "You may hate me for what I've told you, but if what I've done today helps you live long enough to see retirement, my conscience will be clean."

Sakura quickly made her way to the tree Kakashi was currently watching from and leapt up next him. The poor girl almost jumped out of her skin when she felt a hand come down on her shoulder and squeeze.

"You did well, Sakura. Just remember to always watch for ambushes."

Sakura sniffed as she rubbed her eyes. "I will, Kakashi-sensei. B-but, can I ask you something, sensei?"

"Of course, Sakura."

"What is wrong with Mizukara-san? Why is he so cruel?"

Kakashi sighed as he rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Ni-kun has led a difficult life, Sakura. He has a terminal illness that will one day take his life; it has stunted his potential as a shinobi. As powerful as he is now, had he not been afflicted with his malady, there is little doubt in my mind that he would be the strongest ninja in the village… he might've even been Hokage someday."

Sakura frowned. _"The day someone like that becomes Hokage is the day I turn in my hitai-ite."_ "I can sympathize with his situation, but it seems to run deeper than that. His obsessions with death and the definition of a shinobi are very odd."

"Well, because he is dying, Ni-kun often accepts dangerous assassination missions that would normally be offered only to ANBU operatives. But I suppose living with death constantly hovering over you has made him somewhat reckless. This is how he has racked up such a high body count for someone so young. I would assume such undertakings are what spawned such an attitude.

"Anyway, what Ni-kun is doing is nothing personal. I asked him to do this so that you, Naruto, and Sasuke would be better equipped to survive the invasion. As much as you may hate them, his words are rooted in the truth."

Sakura nodded and turned to watch the sparring match's conclusion.

"Alright Sasuke, Naruto… I'm beginning to run low on chakra so let's end this little match." Nikushimi challenged as he once again coughed up another mouthful of blood.

Naruto grinned and looked towards Sasuke. "Hey teme… wanna give that new jutsu a try? This guy seems like the perfect test subject."

Sasuke turned to Naruto, Sharingan meeting Akuonigan. "All right, dobe. Let's show _Ni-kun_ not to underestimate us."

The two genin began running through a set of seals, Sasuke stopping on "tiger" while Naruto ended on "dragon."

"Katon: Karyuu Endan!"

"Yoton: Yoryuu Endan no Jutsu!"

"Ryuumokushi no Mai!" The boys chorused as the dragons spiraled towards Nikushimi while burning a blazing path along the ground.

"_Shit… that jutsu looks dangerous. I gotta time this just right if I don't wanna end up burnt to a crisp…"_ Nikushimi focused his chakra as he scanned his surroundings for a target. _"That'll do."_

The fire dragon and lava dragon suddenly split from each other before diving down at their target in a devastating pincer maneuver. In a beautiful display of destruction, lava, fire, and the earth all came together with Nikushimi at the center of it all.

Everyone present was forced to shield their eyes when the two dragons exploded and sent fire and scorched earth into the air.

When the smoke finally cleared Sasuke and Naruto lowered their hands and looked at each other in surprise.

"Dobe… how much chakra did you put into the jutsu?"

Naruto scratched the back of his head nervously. "A lot…"

"I didn't think it would explode…"

"Well… did you use your cursed seal?"

It was Sasuke's turn to be nervous. "I… uh… I might have tapped into it for a brief second… or two."

"Teme… did we _kill_ him?"

Sasuke took in the destruction laid out before him. _"Hard to believe anyone could live through that but- wait! Is that a-"_ "Naruto," Sasuke said, pointing towards the melted earth, "look at that."

The blonde genin followed Sasuke's finger and swore.

"Damn it!"

Slowly sinking into the churning lava, was a smoldering log.

"Sorry to burst your bubble, Naruto-kun."

Naruto and Sasuke whirled around and found a pair of bunshins in front of them while the real Nikushimi stood a few feet behind them, the left sleeve of his haori charred and smoking. "Surrender, you two have lost."

For a moment Naruto simply stared… "Are you fucking crazy!? You're about to fall apart and you think _you've_ won?"

"Yes, I do. If you don't forfeit-" cough "-I'm afraid that I'll have to render the two of you unconscious." Nikushimi declared, with a bloody cough.

Sasuke clenched his fist in anger. _"That damn smug attitude… he's just like Itachi. They think that nothing can touch them, that they're too damn superior to even give their opponents consideration."_ "You don't scare me… because I've dealt with your kind before," Sasuke growled as he activated his curse seal, causing the black markings to begin snaking down his arm and across his face. "All my life I've devoted my time to a sole purpose… everyday I've trained and honed my skills for the day I meet _him _again." Nikushimi watched as a third tomoe manifested itself when the curse marks finally made their way past Sasuke's left eye, stopping just past the genin's nose. "I _won't_ lose to him when that day comes, and I don't plan to lose to you today, either."

"I see, Sasuke-kun. But you'll have to understand if I don't feel too threatened. I'll say it one last time: forfeit."

"You should feel threatened, Mizukara-san… Naruto!"

"Yeah, Sasuke?"

"Let's end this… one final push with everything we've got!"

Naruto couldn't help but grin like a madman; somewhere along the line, a simple spar had turned into a show of dominance. By the combined outside influences of the curse seal and demonic chakra, Sasuke and Naruto had lost themselves in their bloodlust.

"You got it, teme. We'll show Ni-kun who's boss around here!"

Nikushimi readied himself despite his curiosity of Sasuke and Naruto's actions. The chunin soon felt a spike in his opponents' chakra when Naruto held out his right hand and Sasuke flew through a few seals and clutched his left hand low to the ground.

Kakashi, Sakura, and Nikushimi were treated to a spectacular display of color when both boys molded their chakra into the visible spectrum. Sasuke's hand buzzed to life as it was bathed in a crackling blue light accompanied by the endless chirping of a thousand birds.

No noise accompanied Naruto's jutsu; the blonde simply shaped his chakra with his hand, first forming an empty "shell" before molding more chakra to fill the void. The end result was a churning sphere of red chakra.

The two genin shared a glance before running at their opponent.

"CHIDORI!"

"RASENGAN!"

"_Fuck!"_ Time seemed to slow down as Nikushimi watched the two boys charge at him with the intent to kill. _"Gotta work fast."_ The chunin flew through a set of one-handed seals as his clones moved to intercept his opponents. "Ninpou: Suiyounotoostaa no Jutsu!"

It happened so fast that Sasuke and Naruto were unable to counter the attack. The water clone in front of them exploded in a shower of water while his lightning companion rushed in behind and grabbed Naruto and Sasuke's unoccupied hands. The genin tried in vain to redirect their attacks towards the lightning clone before-

"Kai."

Nikushimi watched with grim satisfaction as his clone exploded in a burst of electricity, shocking Naruto and Sasuke until they collapsed onto the ground, unconscious, soaking wet, and smoking.

"I think they're done, Kakashi-senpai."

The silver-haired jonin hopped down from his perch and went to check up on his students. "You're very much correct, Ni-kun. It looks like you win. Would you like me to raise your hand?"

Nikushimi chuckled. "No thank you, senpai. But… you could've told me that you taught Sasuke the Chidori."

Kakashi's eye curved in a smile. "But then it wouldn't be as fun, Ni-kun. Besides, I was confident you could handle it."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence, senpai. And I don't suppose you can tell me what the hell kind of jutsu Naruto was using, could you?"

"It was one of Minato-sensei's jutsu, the 'Rasengan,'" Kakashi lowered himself to the ground and placed a small vial of salts under each boy's nose. When the genin sat up Kakashi put the salts away and smiled down at them. "You lost."

Sakura tried and failed to stifle her giggle when she saw Naruto and Sasuke pouting, Naruto even had his arms crossed over his chest.

"You guys did well," Nikushimi offered as he held out his uninjured arm to Naruto.

The blonde grasped it and stood, albeit rather shakily. "Yeah… you did pretty good yourself, Ni-kun. Sorry about calling you weak and all that…"

The chunin waved him off. "Don't worry about it. If anything, I'm sorry I acted like a dick. But you guys needed to hear what I said. You don't have to like it, but you should at least remember it. You too, Sasuke-kun."

The Uchiha grunted and gave an indifferent nod; it was all his shattered pride could spare at the moment.

"S-So… are we done for today?" Sakura asked timidly.

"Actually, I have one last little lesson to teach before the day is done. In fact, we'll be going on a little field trip.

Kakashi quirked an eyebrow at the news but remained silent. _"I wonder what Ni-kun's got planned?"_

* * *

Uchiha Akemi.

"_Have a nice day at school, Sasuke-chan!"_

Uchiha Masaru.

"_Hey Sasuke! Stop by the shop when you get back from the Academy. I got a new shipment of shurikens today- half off!"_

Uchiha Kouta.

"_Sasuke-kun! Take a pastry! Manami-chan just baked a fresh batch!"_

Sasuke cringed.

Uchiha Fugaku.

"_My son… I am very proud of what you have accomplished here today."_

Uchiha Mikoto

"_Here you go, Sasuke-kun! Your lunch. I will see you after your shuriken lesson."_

Sasuke turned away from their grave markers and deliberately focused his attention on the brown-haired chunin who had stopped in front of a particular tombstone.

"I suppose you're all wondering why I brought you here today," Nikushimi began as Naruto took out a cigarette and lit it, "Naruto, can I bum one of those?"

The blonde nodded and handed over a black cigarette.

Nikushimi accepted the tiny stick and lit it with a little bit of fire manipulation. "Smooth, with a tiny hint of… is that cinnamon?" The chunin inquired as he exhaled a breath of smoke.

"Yeah. It's a new brand I'm trying out."

The brunette attempted to take another puff of smoke but was stopped when Sakura stepped forward and snatched the cigarette from his hand and ground it out under her heel.

"Hey! I wasn't-"

"That's bad for you! You're already sick, do you want to add cancer to that!?"

On cue, Nikushimi gave another bloody cough and was forced to pull out a spare handkerchief from his haori. "Well how come you let Naruto smoke? He's _your_ teammate!"

"Because Naruto's-" Sakura looked around to ensure there were no eavesdroppers before whispering conspiratorially, "_tenant_ heals him therefore preventing cancer cells from forming."

Nikushimi blinked owlishly. "That's convenient."

Naruto gave a cocky grin. "I have a unique set of skills… I'm quite an amazing person."

"Anyway, can anyone tell me why we are here today?" To everyone's surprise it was Sasuke who answered.

"Because you hate me and therefore found it necessary to drag me through my own personal hell." The Uchiha deadpanned.

"Uh… no. Perhaps another approach is in order. I'd like for each of you to name a hero from this village. We'll start with Naruto."

"Old Man Hokage! I heard they call him the "Professor" because he can use every jutsu native to Konoha!"

"Good, good. Sarutobi-sama is a fine shinobi. But I'm curious, why did you choose him over Yondaime-sama?"

Kakashi tore his eyes away from his precious literature to listen in.

All eyes were on Naruto when he turned his gaze towards the Hokage monument. "Because in the area of sealing demons inside of me, the old man has a distinct lead."

"A valid point," the chunin conceded. "Now, what about you Sakura? Name a hero that hails from our village."

"U-Uh… Tsunade the Slug Sannin."

"Ah, yes! Lady Tsunade is considered the greatest med-nin in the entire world, a fine choice. Now, Sasuke, it's your turn."

The raven-haired boy pointed his finger at the jonin behind the little orange book. "Sharingan no Kakashi, the man who has copied over a thousand jutsu, and student of the Yondaime Hokage-sama."

"Kakashi-senpai? Hmmm… I suppose he does qualify. Kakashi-senpai, did you know that the youth of this village view you as a hero?"

"They do? It must be my rugged good looks and charming personality."

"Clearly it must be," the chunin agreed, drowning his words in sarcasm, "but I digress. All three of you have picked very important figureheads, and powerful shinobi. They represent some of the best talent Konoha has ever produced. But, I wonder… can any of you tell me about," Nikushimi stepped to the side and revealed the name on the tombstone, "Uchiha Yuudai?"

It was dead quiet as all eyes suddenly turned towards Sasuke.

"Uh… I believe he was genin. I don't think I ever met him, though…"

"Correct. And I don't suppose any of you could tell me anything else about him, could you?"

Everyone present shook their head in the negative.

"Understandable. I doubt you will ever find Yuudai's name in the history books, and I know for a fact there are no statues of him. You see when I graduated from the Academy I was placed on a team with a fellow early graduate by the name of Uchiha Yuudai. This wasn't out of the ordinary, really- Uchihas were known for graduating early. The two of us were teamed up with a… unique kunoichi by the name of Inuzuka Hana.

"The first team meeting left much to be desired. Yuudai ridiculed me for having an illness and coming from a civilian family, I continually asked him what was the cause for 'the distinct lack of Sharingan' in our unit, and Hana continually complained about being teamed with two 'pups whose voices hadn't even broke yet.'"

The story got a round of chuckles; the three genin had been there the day Kiba's sister had come to pick him up from school.

He still complains of the "phantom pains" in his ear.

"Unfortunately, however, the next day 'Team Epsilon' took and failed the bell test. Miserably."

"And I still stand by my decision, Ni-kun." Kakashi added.

"Wait, _you_ had Kakashi as a jonin instructor!?" Naruto asked. "I thought we were the first team Kakashi-sensei has ever trained."

"You are correct, Naruto-kun. Before Team 7 came along, Kakashi had failed every single team before it, mine included. In all honestly, I think Hana caught on to the meaning of the test, but she proved unable to persuade Yuudai and I to listen. So, with our failure, Team Epsilon returned to the academy for six months of remedial training. Thankfully we passed our next test and went off to train under Kaneda-sensei. While learning in the academy _after_ graduation was a never-ending nightmare, it did allow the three of us to get to know each other. After Hana-chan stopped emasculating us, and Yuudai and I set out egos aside, the three of us soon became friends.

"The night we passed our second genin test, the three of us went to Hana-chan's house to celebrate, because the very next day, Team Epsilon would set off on its first mission. I still remember it… to this very day, I still remember it. Hana-chan and I were waiting outside of the Academy because Yuudai and Kaneda-sensei were running late." Nikushimi's voice quieted a little as he rubbed the cool stone beneath his hand. "We were _so_ excited to finally be ninja. We were going to take this village by storm… everyone was going to know about Team Epsilon. Silly childhood dreams, really. Nothing but the foolish ramblings of children too ignorant of the world around them…"

Sakura broke the silence. "W-What happened, Ni-kun."

"Kaneda-sensei found us and told us to go with him to the Hokage tower… something had happened in the Uchiha district.

"When we arrived at the Hokage tower… I swear I've never heard silence be so loud. No one spoke, no one moved. We all stood still while Hokage-sama told us about the massacre; one survivor, no other witnesses. Then he assigned every available shinobi a C-rank mission: secure the area, assess the damage, identify the victims, and begin clearing the area."

"So… that means that Yuudai-san…" Naruto began.

"Hana-chan and I found him in his home, his sister's room to be exact. They were huddled in a corner with their eyes shut. As Itachi dealt with their parents, Yuudai's final act was to shield his baby sister with his own body. And that was how he died, holding his nee-chan and telling her everything would be okay… even when Uchiha Itachi's ninjato was forced through the both of them, Uchiha Yuudai held onto his sister until their last breath.

"You should all know that heroes and saviors don't always get to have their visages carved into mountains, they don't always get monuments erected in their memories. As you continue to grow as shinobi, never forget that everyone has to die… always remember that we must all return to the earth we've come from. But never go out into the world with thoughts of giving your life for this village, such thoughts will be your undoing.

"Find something worth living for, love someone, hate your enemies, fight for your families and friends, live for this village if you must, just find something to live for… and when you find yourself in unfavorable situations don't worry about dying for this village, instead do everything in your power to make the miserable bastard you're fighting die for _his_ village. Don't think about it, don't hate it, don't enjoy it, don't be afraid of it, just get it done.

"And don't ever forget that you are your own person, the higher ups will try and tell you that shinobi are tools… _fuck them_. Before we became shinobi we were regular people, and no amount of propaganda's ever gonna change that."

Team 7 stood silently and absorbed the day's events. In less than twelve hours, Mizukara Nikushimi had intruded on their lives and challenged everything they _thought_ they knew. One person who had seen more and done more had come along and shown three genin that the world wasn't going to bow down and hand them everything they wanted.

Sasuke was the first to break the silence. "Almost everything you've said goes against what we've been taught since starting out in the academy. In some other villages, your words would no doubt be grounds for treason charges." Sasuke made sure to look into the older teen's eyes. "Are you some kind of revolutionary? Do you plan on recruiting us to help you overthrow the Hokage or something?"

The chunin coughed into his handkerchief before giving a shaky laugh. "No, Sasuke-kun, I don't plan on assembling any freedom fighters to overthrow the oppressive bourgeoisie that oppresses working shinobi. The goal today was to show you a different view of things, so you could look underneath the underneath, as Kakashi-senpai would put it. You don't _have _to take my advice if you don't want to, but I think you should remember it regardless, it might come in handy someday…"

Kakashi stepped forward to address his team. "Over the past month the three of you have grown at a most impressive rate. You aren't the green little genins I first met; you're fine shinobi who I'm proud to call my comrades. And I know that all three of you will-"

Kakashi stopped abruptly and ducked as a kunai whizzed over his head and imbedded itself in the ground just behind Nikushimi.

Said chunin lifted a finger to feel the fresh cut on his cheek and stiffened when he felt a warm body pressed against him- female, judging by the pair of breasts forced against his back- and a warm tongue on his cheek.

"Mmmm… Ni-kun, so rich and sweet."

The brunette sighed. "To what do I owe the pleasure, Anko?"

"It's the crazy lady from the second-" Naruto stopped when Anko casually flicked a kunai at his head.

"The Hokage needs to speak with us, seems we've got ourselves a mission." The kunoichi explained, giving Nikushimi's cut a few more licks before releasing her hold on him.

"I don't suppose there's time for me to stop by the hospital to have my shoulder looked at, is there?"

The purple-haired jonin grabbed Nikushimi's uninjured arm and pulled him flush to her body. "_Ni-kun_," she purred, "After the meeting, Dr. Anko will make everything all better…"

Kakashi couldn't stop the perverted giggle from escaping his lips.

"Thank you for the support, Kakashi-senpai. Anyway, I suppose this is where I take my leave. Enjoy the rest of your evening and try to take it easy these next couple of days." Nikushimi waved a hand before he disappeared in a swirl of mist.

"Later, Kakashi. Kakashi's brats." Anko said before she too shunshin'd away in a puff of smoke.

Team 7 said their goodbyes before each member went their separate ways. It was agreed that the last few days would be spent relaxing and recuperating. Everyone was determined to enjoy the peace while it lasted.

* * *

The two of them were bathed in the twilight. Sitting above the entire village as the sun sank below the horizon on its journey to bring light to the other half of the world's population, the two young teenagers couldn't help but be enraptured by the otherworldly display before them. It was a skyline filled with buildings of various shapes and sizes that met beautifully with the orange hue that was the setting sun. Just above it was a line of clouds- painted a deep blue by the decreasing amount of light- that acted as an amorphous partition between the waning glow and the sky beyond. Further up yellows and reds warred with each other in search of visual dominance as the few remaining rays of light sought to escape their origin and plunge far and deep into the darkness. The result was stretch of swirling pinks and purples that ran through the night sky signaling the exact spot where day and night met, and ceased to be.

It was twilight, it was-

"…Beautiful…"

Naruto pulled the warm body leaning against his chest closer to him with his arm. "I knew you would like it, Hinata-chan. This is one of my favorite places in the entire village. Up here I can listen to myself think when I'm feeling troubled." He grinned cheekily. "And you can't beat this view."

"Th-thank you for sharing it with me, Naruto-kun."

"No problem, Hinata-chan. There isn't a person alive who I'd rather have with me right now," Naruto whispered before leaning down to place a soft kiss on Hinata's lips.

The blonde jinchuuriki could never get enough of her skin. Human affection had been something that was sorely lacking in Naruto's life and now that he had Hinata filling the void left by years of neglect he found himself relishing every second he spent with her in his arms. To Uzumaki Naruto, the act of holding Hyuga Hinata was a source of endless bliss. Even now Naruto found himself lazily rubbing his thumb over the sleeve of Hinata's shirt, where soft cotton met even softer skin. The pad of Naruto's thumb moved around feeling the raised stitching holding the hem of Hinata's sleeve together all the while sliding over the silky skin that was next to it.

Naruto moved his head back to look down at the angel in his arms. "What's wrong, Hinata-chan? You look troubled…"

"O-oh! W-well… it's just that…"

"It's okay, Hinata-chan, you can tell me."

The young girl leaned the side of her head against Naruto's chest as she looked over the village. "I… I'm worried about tomorrow… and your match with Neji-niisan."

"Oh. You're worried he might hurt me?"

"N-no, Naruto-kun. That n-night we went to the park, after you walked me home… I heard you and Neji-niisan talking… I felt your killing intent when y-you threatened him…"

Shame… it rolled over him like a tidal wave. "I'm sorry you had to hear that… and I'm sorry I lost my temper."

Hinata gently cupped Naruto's face. "It's okay, Naruto-kun, sometimes people get angry. It is nothing to be ashamed of… b-but… what are you going to do to Neji-niisan tomorrow?"

Naruto sighed. "He's going to pay, Hinata-chan. _I_ am going to make him regret the day he decided to hurt you."

"A-are you going to k-kill him?" Hinata asked quietly.

"He tried to kill you- he would have succeeded if our senseis hadn't stopped him…"

"I-I know, Naruto-kun…"

"Then why do you worry for him!?" Naruto asked harshly. "He shows no respect, kindness, or love towards you, Hinata-chan! Why do you care if he lives?"

A lone tear made its way down the kunoichi's cheek before falling onto Naruto's yukata. "I-I love him… even now when he has nothing but cruel words for me, I still remember the little boy who swore he'd protect and take care of me. No matter how much Neji-niisan hurts me, I could never hate him…"

"What would you have me do, Hinata-chan?"

The girl shook her head. "I can't tell you what to do, Naruto-kun. You have to decide for yourself. But I'd like you to know that there is still good in him, I know there is. Somewhere beneath all the anger, all the resentment… I know that my big brother is still in there."

"_Why can't these things ever be simple?"_

"**You will stick to the plan we've constructed, boy. Tomorrow you will do what needs to be done. Do not let the female sway you with her sweet words and round eyes."**

Naruto chose to ignore Kyuubi's input and focus on the girl holding on to him. "Hinata-chan… I can't promise you anything… but I promise I will remember what you've said."

Hinata smiled. _"He tries so hard."_ "Thank you, Naruto-kun. I know you'll do the right thing tomorrow," the Hyuga heiress said before she leaned up and pressed he lips to Naruto's.

The blonde couldn't help but grin. _"So soft…"_

For awhile the two teens sat there enjoying the comfort of each others' lips until Naruto felt a most peculiar sensation; a soft tongue had gently swiped at his bottom lip, causing him to jump and break the kiss.

"U-uh… H-Hinata-chan?"

Poor Hinata was red as a tomato; it had taken all of her courage to take initiative and attempt to deepen the kiss. "N-Naruto-kun… I-I… I'm sorry if that was t-too forward!" _"This isn't how it happened in the book! He was supposed to keep kissing me…"_

Naruto took a few breaths to calm himself before speaking. He made sure to choose his words _very_ wisely. "You don't have to apologize, Hinata-chan; I was just… surprised. You see I didn't think you were… I mean if like to do… No! What I meant was that…" Naruto had the good grace to cease his rambling, the only thing it was accomplishing was making Hinata redder.

"_Damn… she took a chance and I fucked it all up. Smooth, Naruto, real smooth…"_

The jinchuuriki placed a hand behind Hinata's head, surprising her out of her embarrassment and causing her to cease biting her lower lip. _"Alright Uzumaki, you can do this. Be confident, be cool, be smooth… don't fuck it up…" _"Hinata," Naruto whispered huskily as he rubbed his fingers over the nape of her neck, "please don't ever be ashamed of things like that; I am perfectly fine with going at the pace you set. All I want is to do what makes you happy… because I love you, Hina-hime."

Hinata and Naruto slowly moved closer until their lips gently met. For a short time they stayed like this until Naruto once again felt Hinata ask for entrance; he was all too happy to acquiesce. Naruto parted his lips and allowed her to explore a bit before his tongue met hers and they began the struggle for dominance.

It was by no means perfect, it was sloppy and unskilled; a side effect of the lack of experience from both parties. But the two teens made up for it with their enthusiasm, it wasn't long before Naruto leaned into the kiss more and began his exploration of Hinata's mouth, enveloping himself in the sweetness he had come to associate with her.

But like all good things, the kiss came to an end when both teens pulled back panting and in need of air. The blonde looked down at Hinata and let his eyes roam over her face, taking in her heavy-lidded eyes, rosy cheeks, puffy lips, and slightly disheveled hair.

"…Beautiful…"

Hinata looked up and placed a soft kiss on Naruto's lips before leaning back. "I love you, Naruto-kun." She pulled him down and they resumed their kiss.

Naruto once again lost himself in the act, deciding he rather enjoyed kissing Hinata in this way. So atop the Hokage monument and under the stars, the young couple continued to kiss well into the night, both committing every second to memory.

Distracting themselves from the fact that after tomorrow, it might never happen again.

* * *

**Jutsu (In order of use)**

**Doton: Retsudotenshou**- Earth Release: Split Earth Turn Around Palm

**Doton: Doryuusou**- Earth Release: Rising Stone Spears

**Katon: Karyuu Endan**- Fire Release: Fire Dragon Flame Missile

**Raiton: Jibashi**- Lightning Release: Electromagnetic Murder

**Suiton: Suiryuudan no Jutsu**- Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique

**Shoton: Suishou Tou**- Crystal Release: Jade Crystal Blade

**Mizu Bunshin no Jutsu**- Water Clone Technique

**Raiton: Kage Bunshin no Jutsu**- Lightning Release: Shadow Clone Technique

**Kuchiyose no Jutsu**- Summoning Technique

**Suiton: Souhahonryuu no Jutsu**- Water Release: Twin Tearing Torrents

**Hijutsu: Mizu Oyako Funka**- Secret Technique: Burning Water Eruption

**Kami Shuriken**- Paper Shuriken

**Futon: Reppuushou**- Wind Release: Violent Wind Palm

**Suiton: Ouuzu Matoi no Jutsu**- Water Release: Great Whirlpool Enfolding Technique

**Kirigakure no Jutsu**- Hidden Mist Technique

**Yoton: Yoryuu Endan**- Lava Release: Lava Dragon Missile

**Ryuumokushi no Mai**- Dancing Dragon Apocalypse

**Ninpou: Suiyounotoostaa no Jutsu**- Ninja Art: Toaster in the Tub Technique

**

* * *

**

**Annotations: **The "we have happy little accidents" line is a quote from Bob Ross. And I decided that Hana would make a good teammate for Nikushimi, I felt it was a better option than using an OC. Besides, her back story was never really explained so I felt this was a suitable way to do it.

**A/N:** I hope I've made up for the delay with the length of this chapter. I knew that I needed something to bridge what was covered in the previous chapters with the finals and invasion that will occur in the next chapter; this was the result. I hope I made it enjoyable. I honestly didn't have too much to say, so I hope you'll review with your comments and questions.

**-Andrew**


	9. Chapter 8: Down With The Sickness, PartI

**Act One, Chapter 8: "Down With The Sickness," Part I**

"_Drowning deep in my sea of loathing_

_Broken your servant I kneel_

_Will you give it to me?_

_It seems what's left of my human side_

_Is slowly changing... in me_

_Will you give it to me?_

_Looking at my own reflection_

_When suddenly it changes_

_Violently it changes_

_Oh no, There is no turning back now_

_You've woken up the demon ... in me"_

"Down With the Sickness" by Disturbed

* * *

"Where the hell is that idiot!?"

"Kiba-kun… please don't call him an idiot…"

"But, Hinata, he's gonna miss his _own_ match! What could he have to do that is more important than this? If he doesn't show he's gonna blow his chance to become a chunin!"

"Please refrain from yelling at Hinata-sama, Inuzuka-san."

"It's o-okay, Kou-san. Kiba-kun is just… w-worried."

"Hai, Hinata-sama."

"Hey Hinata, d'ya think that-"

"Arf, arf!"

"What is it, Akamaru?"

"Woof."

"An ANBU, what the hell is he-"

"Hey brat! Is anyone sitting in the seats next to you?"

"Who the hell are you calling a brat, you crazy bitch!?"

The crazy bitch in question answered by flinging a kunai and embedding it in the seat between Kiba's legs.

"It is good to see you, Anko-san." Kou greeted.

"Ah, Kou! What brings you out to something as boring as the Chunin Exams?"

"I am acting as Hinata-sama's escort."

"That explains you, but what about the mutts?"

"HEY! Akamaru and I are here to watch the finals with Hinata; our teammate's fighting today!" Kiba shouted, pointing to the young man with glasses down in the arena. "And Hinata came to watch Naruto. But we can't figure out where the hell he is…"

"Erhm… I'm sure Naruto-kun will be here in time," a young man spoke from behind a handkerchief.

"_You_! What are you doing here?" Kou demanded of the man standing next to Anko.

"He's _my_ escort," Anko answered as she wrapped an arm around the man.

"As a gentleman, I could not allow this fair maiden to attend such a grandiose event unescorted, Kou-san. Plus I'm very much interested in how Naruto-kun and Sasuke-kun will perform today; as their sensei it is my obligation."

"Y-you know Naruto-kun?"

The man in question looked past Kiba and Kou towards the small girl. "Yes, I… 'tutored' him and his teammates for a brief period."

"Stay away from Hinata-sama, boy! One such as her doesn't need to be corrupted with your taint!"

"Kou-san! Please do not speak in such a way!" Hinata admonished, clearly shocked by the man's outburst.

"Forgive me, Hinata-sama," Kou apologized with a small bow, "but you do not know this boy; he is not someone you'd want to associate with. He wantonly violates orders, disregards the code of our profession, and is a disgrace to the word 'shinobi.' He is trash of the highest degree."

Hinata winced as she couldn't help but be reminded of the treatment Naruto received throughout the village. _"I will give him a chance, just as I did with Naruto-kun… I refuse to be thrown into the same lot as the rest of the village…"_

The small girl stood and walked over to the young stranger. "Hello, m-my name is Hyuga Hinata and any f-friend of Naruto-kun's is a friend of mine," she said with a formal bow.

The brunet bowed back. "It is an honor to meet you, Hinata-sama. My name is Mizukara Nikushimi-" cough "-and Naruto-kun has spoken most highly of you."

Hinata blushed but frowned when she scrutinized the stained handkerchief. "Are you okay, Nikushimi-san?"

"Just a little illness, nothing to be concerned about, Hinata-sama."

"Yeah, stutters," Anko grinned, slapping a palm on her chunin escort's chest, "Ni-kun's got at least seven more good years left in him!"

"You phrase it so elegantly, Anko… your tact never ceases to amaze me…"

Hinata felt the sadness well up inside her. "I-I'm so sorry, Nikushimi-san… is there nothing that can be done?"

"Do not fret, Hinata-sama, I've since made peace with the fact that my days are numbered," Nikushimi replied as he and Anko made their way to the empty seats next to Hinata's. "Ah, Kiba-kun! How've you been?"

"I'm good, Ni-kun. Mom and Hana expect you over for dinner sometime this week, and they won't be taking no for an answer," Kiba replied with a toothy grin.

The older brunet cracked a grin. "You may tell Tsume-sama and Hana-chan that I will be over before the week's end; how could I deny two beautiful, voluptuous women the pleasure of my company?"

"Hey!" Kiba snarled as he leaned threateningly past Kou and Hinata.

"Now, now, don't feel left out, Kiba-_chan_. You're a very handsome young man, but I'm afraid that you're not my type…"

"Fuck off, asshole. Always with your witty remarks, I swear you should've been a damn comedian instead of a shinobi." Kiba grumbled angrily.

"Come now Kiba-kun, we all have our hobbies that help us drown out the screaming voices of those we've killed; I have my 'witty remarks,' Anko has her tea ceremonies, you have your romantic walks with Akamaru-chan, Kou-san has his being a dick to the general populace, and… what do you have Hinata-sama?"

"U-um… K-Kiba-kun and I ha-haven't k-killed anyone, yet… b-but I like to mix m-medical salves…"

Anko grinned evilly as she loomed over the two genin. "Awww… virgin blades are just the cutest things ever!" The jonin simpered as she gave Hinata's cheek a slight pinch.

"Play nice, Anko," Nikushimi admonished as he lit a cigarette and exhaled a lungful of smoke, earning himself a glare from the kunoichi.

"Baka, are you trying to kill yourself faster!?" Anko asked incredulously.

"Simmer down, woman. Today is a special occasion; we're here to watch Naruto-kun and Sasuke-kun kick ass in the finals. Right, Hinata-sama?"

"Um… I-"

"Are you insane, Ni-kun? You honestly think that the blonde idiot is going to beat the Hyuga genius? I've read up on those two and their documents said the Hyuga was top of his class in every subject, while blondie was dead last in nearly every subject; add in the fact that the Hyuga has his little Byakugan, and the yellow squirt doesn't stand a snowball's chance in Hell."

The tokubetsu jonin turned to look at Hinata. "Wanna run that by me again, mumbles?"

The younger kunoichi steeled her nerves and exhaled slowly. _"Calm breaths, be confident, enunciate…" _"I s-said that he has a n-name; it is Uzumaki Naruto."

The name invoked different reactions from the shinobi present.

An unknown Leaf shinobi turned around and glared at Hinata like she had uttered the vilest of obscenities.

Kou settled for an angry growl that never left his throat.

Anko smirked and gave Hinata another condescending pinch on the cheek.

Nikushimi, however, smiled. "Uzumaki Naruto. I've little doubt that my 'student' will impress us all today," the chunin began as he once again filled the surrounding area with cigarette smoke, "Hyuga-san won't know what hit him."

"Do you honestly believe that, Mizukara-san? You actually think that Uzumaki has a chance against Neji, one of the most powerful clan members to be gifted with the Byakugan?" Kou asked, unable to keep the fabled "Hyuga pride" from his voice.

Nikushimi ground out his cigarette before staining his handkerchief with yet another mouthful of blood. "Ah yes, I seem to recall that you Branch members see the boy as somewhat of a hero; you all believe that little Hyuga Neji is Konoha's next great shinobi," the chunin grinned wickedly before continuing, "But I wonder… how far can Neji-san go before that leash your clan burned into his forehead yanks him back down?"

Hinata shuddered as she felt the killing intent her guardian was releasing, however whatever retort the Hyuga had died when the Hokage's voice suddenly rang throughout the stadium.

"Welcome, everyone, to the finals of the Chunin Exams! I hope that you all stay and watch as our eight finalists compete against each other!" The old man shouted as he took in all the faces in attendance. "Now, I believe it is time for our first match of the day!"

"You seem very excited today, Hokage-dono."

"Ah, Kazekage-dono! I'm so glad you could join us today!" Sarutobi greeted as the Kazekage took his seat next to the Hokage.

"Only a fool would miss the spectacle that today's events are sure to become, Hokage-dono. I am eager to see how my village's top genin fares against the last of the Uchihas. And speaking of which, I can't help but notice that we seem to be missing a few combatants…"

"I'm sure they'll be here-" The Hokage was interrupted when a swirl of leaves announced the arrival of a Konohagakure jonin.

"They're on their way, Hokage-sama."

Sarutobi sighed in resignation when he saw just exactly who had shunshin'd next to him. "I find it rather sad that five minutes late is actually early for you, Kakashi…"

"Well, Hokage-sama, there was this lovely old lady who needed a few snakes removed from her garden. So, being the gentleman that I am, I volunteered to help the poor woman with her plight; after which she insisted that I stay for tea." The copy-nin answered from behind his favorite orange book.

The Hokage couldn't help but chuckle as he turned his attention towards the battleground.

* * *

"Where are Uzumaki Naruto and Uchiha Sasuke?" The proctor asked, flicking his senbon to the other side of his mouth.

Before any of the genin could answer, the heavens rumbled angrily as a few clouds swirled about. Everyone present at the arena looked up as the sky continued to churn forming more storm clouds that looked ready to burst and unleash a torrent of rain.

Genma watched in confusion. "What the-"

As the tokubetsu jonin was forming his query, the skies cracked in an eruption of rolling thunder before those in attendance were blinded by a bolt of lightning that struck the middle of the arena. Everyone held their breath as the smell of burnt ozone entered their nostrils and they waited for the dust to settle.

People stared, mouths agape, as a young man stepped forward.

"I suggest that anyone who is not involved in the first match clear the area before he arrives…" Sasuke said before he disappeared in another crack of lightning.

The other genin took the hint and made their way towards the participants' box to wait with Sasuke, meanwhile the Hokage turned to his subordinate curiously.

"What exactly was the technique Sasuke used, Kakashi?"

The jonin turned a page in his book before speaking. "Raizou-shunshin. Ever since you showed Naruto how to perform the shunshin, he's been determined to develop his own varieties of the technique. Naturally, Sasuke refused to be outdone and developed his own version. Rest assured that this development has made my life near unbearable."

"So Naruto has formed his own jutsu as well?"

Kakashi coughed nervously. "Well… Naruto's version isn't exactly what you'd call 'complete,' Hokage-sama…"

The Hokage grimaced while Kakashi gave another empty cough before teleporting to the participants' box to wait with Sasuke and the other genin.

No one saw the look of greed that passed through the Kazekage's eyes during Sasuke's display of power.

* * *

The reasoning behind Sasuke's warning soon made itself apparent; shortly after everyone, save Neji and Genma, had made their way off the field, the stadium was quickly bathed in a wave of killing intent.

Except it was different… most in attendance couldn't quite place it. It was indeed powerful, but there was something else present besides power, anger, and bloodlust… there was malice and impurity as well.

The source, whatever it may be, was tainted by something that only those who were present on that accursed night thirteen years ago could recognize.

And when the burst of bloody red chakra sprang to life, causing part of the battle ground to crack and splinter under its weight... for just the briefest of moments… the older generations of Konohagakure no Sato believed that the Kyuubi no Yoko once again roamed the lands.

When the burning red mist dissipated, however, their fears were assuaged and their tempers enraged.

It was only _him_.

* * *

Neji made sure to hide his surprise at Naruto's… eccentric arrival. Furthermore, Hyuga Neji had to mask his interest in Naruto's new appearance. The blonde genin _looked_ like a miniature ANBU… if ANBU wore armor that looked like it had been painted with fresh blood and left to dry in the sun for a few hours… an extremely bastardized and perverse interpretation of the color 'red,' but not quite the mottled black one associates with stagnant blood. Then, of course, there was that damn coat Uzumaki had been spotted wearing from time to time; a simple, sleeveless black duster with the genin's proclamation of demonic lineage on the back of it.

All in all, Neji was forced to, grudgingly of course, admit that Naruto looked rather impressive… or at least he would have if he had not been so engrossed in the studying of Naruto's face.

Neji couldn't see it.

The usually grinning blond idiot had, for some reason, hidden himself away from the world with a cloth mask that covered his entire head and face. Deep crimson, like the majority of Naruto's ensemble, the mask was peppered with numerous black patches that gave the appearance of splattered sealing ink; two particularly large patches hid the strange eyes that Neji knew to be there and allowed Naruto to see through his mask.

The entire look was rather impressive, indeed; though Neji would never admit it out loud.

"Too ashamed to show your face, Uzumaki-san?"

The Hyuga's opponent simply cocked his head to the side.

"Well then, since we're all here," Genma began, his senbon swishing as he spoke, "BEGIN!"

* * *

It was anticlimactic, to say the least.

When Genma's hand came down and he jumped back, everyone had either tensed are leaned closer over the rail.

Except for Sasuke, he just kept fingering the small Uchiha crest engraved on the hilt of the black ninjato he had tucked into the back of his belt.

Just another anomaly.

The Uchiha generally preferred his compact and streamlined high collared shirts and shorts, but today Sasuke was clothed in a pair of dark blue shinobi pants and a loose, long-sleeved white shirt that had the Uchiha crest emblazoned on the back. Curiously, the Uchiha had his left sleeve rolled up, exposing his battle wrappings and a leather strap that covered the entirety of his hand and forearm. The only indication that Uchiha Sasuke was even remotely interested in the two combatants staring each other down was the slow, methodic revolution of his Sharingan.

In all honesty, the two participating members of Team 7 had dressed like they were prepared for war.

In all honestly, it was just too…

"_Troublesome."_ "I'll bite, Uchiha," Shikamaru began as he tore his gaze from his precious clouds and leveled it on the other genin, "what do you know that we don't?"

Sasuke turned towards Shikamaru, his Sharingan never ceasing to stop spinning, "You know what is going to happen today," he answered, nodding towards the Suna shinobi currently occupying the participants' box along with them… and Shino.

Shikamaru casually flicked his eyes towards them and noted that two of them seemed rather nervous… Gaara just looked insufferably bored. "That explains your attire, but what's the deal with Naruto?"

Sasuke scoffed. "Why the dobe does what he does will always be beyond me, Nara-san. Why that blonde idiot chooses to make us wait instead of simply defeating Hyuga-san is also something that escapes my understanding."

"Wait, you honestly think Naruto is going to beat Neji?" Shikamaru asked as a particularly wispy cirrus fibratus caught his attention.

The Uchiha didn't even bother to look at Shikamaru. "Hn."

The Nara sighed. "Troublesome… And I don't suppose you know what happened to the Sound guy I was supposed to fight, do you?"

Sasuke had no response.

Shikamaru returned to his clouds.

Neither noticed the grin that had carved itself across Gaara's face.

* * *

Neji grinned. "You should surrender, Uzumaki-san."

Neji's opponent scratched his chin in contemplation before shaking his head in the negative.

"You know that you can't possibly win today; you were destined to lose as soon as you drew the number that matched with mine. Forfeit, and walk out of this arena under your own power, or I will see to it that your battered and broken body is carried out."

The only response Neji received was a casual shrug of the shoulders before a kunai was drawn.

The Hyuga sighed in resignation. "Very well… Byakugan!" The chakra coils that fed chakra into Neji's eyes bulged as his kekkei genkai was activated and he dropped into a Juuken stance.

A gentle breeze rolled by, kicking up a few loose blades of grass and sweeping them away.

Then they charged.

Naruto swung his kunai at Neji, only to have it gently slapped away before the Hyuga landed a palm strike to Naruto's gut, forcing him back a few paces.

Neji took the initiative and charged forward with the intent of driving two chakra-infused fingers into Naruto's neck. The masked shinobi ducked and moved to sweep Neji's legs from under him, but failed when the Hyuga flipped over him and lightly tapped his left shoulder before landing behind Naruto.

The pale-eyed genin smirked as he watched his opponent clutch his shoulder in pain before slowly turning to face him once again.

"Hurts, doesn't it, Uzumaki-san? That is the beauty of Juuken; I don't have to break your bones or maim your limbs to tear you down. Just the lightest tap and I could pick your body apart from the inside out.

"It would be best if you were to forfeit."

Naruto just rolled his shoulder in an attempt to restore some of its function while his uninjured arm drew another kunai from his holster.

"Idiot." Neji scoffed as he too drew a kunai and charged forward to meet Naruto.

The ringing sound of blade on blade combat soon echoed throughout the stadium.

* * *

"Does anyone want to explain what the hell is going on here?" Anko asked as she watched the two genin fighting trade another round of blows.

"I believe that this fight is personal, Anko," Nikushimi answered with a nod towards Hinata, "Love can make us do some of the craziest things."

The tokubetsu jonin adopted her predatory grin as she leaned past Nikushimi to loom over Hinata. "Spill it, mumbles. Did you tame the village's favorite pariah?"

The poor girl blushed heavily and attempted to become as small as possible. "U-um… N-Naruto-kun and I are d-dating…"

"Isn't that cute. Have you fucked yet?"

"Anko-san! Do not speak in such a manner while in the presence of children!" Kou shouted while pointing to Kiba and a horrifically mortified Hinata.

The kunoichi frowned. "I don't see any children here, Kou. I see one jonin bodyguard, one sickly chunin-" Anko received a cough of acknowledgement from Nikushimi, "-and two _genin_. To this village, they're fully fledged adults- old enough to drink, smoke, fuck, and die. Pretending they're children won't change any of that."

The branch Hyuga honestly had no answer to Anko's words and chose to turn his attention back to the fight playing before him.

Kiba, however, snorted at Anko. "'Adults?' I wish. My mom still grounds me if I forget to clean out the dog kennels on the weekends."

Anko's tirade was stopped before it could begin. "I'll field this one, if you don't mind," Nikushimi said before turning to Kiba, "You see, Kiba-_chan_, while the village may have you classified as an adult, it doesn't change the fact that you're still thirteen. No matter how 'adult' you may be, you're still someone who lives with mommy. Adolescence is a truly magical time in life; your budding bosoms begin to swell with feminine maturity, your hips flare to ready themselves for birth-giving, and that special monthly visitor begins-"

"I'M NOT A GIRL, GODDAMNIT!" Kiba roared, slamming a fist down on his chair's armrest.

Hinata looked as if she wanted nothing more than to sink into the ground and never be seen again.

"If you say so, Kiba-chan," The chunin quipped before he and a grinning Anko turned their attention back to the fight.

* * *

Neji jumped back from his opponent after landing another successful strike and sealing off another one of Naruto's tenketsu; the two genin had long abandoned their kunai in favor of hand to hand combat.

Naruto wasn't fairing so well.

"Why do you insist on delaying the inevitable, Uzumaki-san? Surely you must be able to see the futility in continuing…" Neji taunted while Naruto worked to regain feeling in his left arm, "Why not just give up and save yourself the pain and humiliation of having me seal off every single one of your tenketsu… one… by… one."

Neji's opponent stopped rubbing his arm to regard him once again. After, what seemed like an eternity, Naruto slowly turned to face Neji and finally spoke.

"The day of the preliminaries, were you really going to kill Hinata? If the jonin had not stopped you, would you really have gone through with it and stopped Hinata-chan's heart?"

The Hyuga paused and considered the question; he smirked, the curvature of his lips wrinkling his face and throwing the chakra coils around his eyes into sharp relief. "I would have, Uzumaki-san… if only to expose the cancerous sore that is the Main Family, I would have ended Hinata-sama. She was weak and I was strong, I am a slave and she is royalty… these things were decided before the two of us were even born.

"They were decided the second Hiashi-sama was born before my father, Hizashi. From that moment, Fate, God, whatever higher power that decides these things, decided that my father and all his descendants would be the lower… that we would be the foundation of the House of Hyuga: necessary, but still on the bottom.

"And Hiashi-sama? He would go on to stand upon us and all that we held up… his daughters next to him. We crawl, on our knees, like the wretched animals we are… and them… they stand, proudly, like men…"

"But her!" Neji snarled as he pointed to where he knew Hinata to be sitting. "What right does she have!? She is nothing but weakness incarnate! She is not fit to be a ninja, she is not worthy of the name Hyuga, and she is too inept to lead anything! But does it matter? No. She will have and has had _everything_ handed to her, while I, and every other Branch member, have received nothing but the seal on our heads. So yes, Uzumaki-san, I would have killed Hinata-sama that day… if only to shove a taste of humility into the maw of the Main Family."

Silence rang throughout the stadium.

How did one react to an outright declaration of hatred… coming from a fourteen year old adolescent?

In the front rows of the stadium, a man sat next to his daughter and quietly contemplated the choices that had turned his nephew into a monster.

In the opposite end of the stadium, a young girl went into a violent fit of coughing, blood leaking from her mouth, while those near her attempted to help.

In the participants' box, one boy watched indifferently, another watched the clouds float by, one fisted his hands inside his coat pockets, and two siblings gave the third some space as his sand rattled in anticipation of the violence to come.

Neji was frowning at his opponent. The young Hyuga assumed that when he told Naruto of his past intentions that the blonde would become enraged and blindly attack him in anger.

But the only indication of Naruto's anger was a slightly shaking left hand, which the genin quickly clenched into a fist.

"I see…"

The Hyuga prodigy was slightly unnerved; his opponent was acting nothing like the Uzumaki Naruto he knew from the earlier exams. The Naruto Neji knew, or thought he knew, was loud, brash, and foolhardy. But the man standing in front of him had barely spoken a word, he had made few mistakes (his only slip ups were the holes in his taijutsu stance), and he seemed to have a plan… a plan that he seemed keen on sticking to.

"Does the fact that there are people in this world that will not overlook Hinata-sama's worthlessness anger you, Uzumaki-san?"

The shaking stopped.

With an eerie calm, Naruto placed his hands in the "snake" seal…

* * *

"_I don't get it, Yamato-sensei."_ _Naruto complained as he poked the tiny sapling sitting between him and the ANBU operative._

_Yamato sighed dispassionately. "I'll explain it again, Naruto. Do you see this sapling?"_

"_Yes."_

"_Of course you do. But how did it get here?"_

_The blonde interlaced his fingers behind his head. "You used a jutsu…"_

"_True… but there is a better term for it…"_

_Naruto scratched his chin. "You… 'created' it?"_

_Yamato smiled and nodded. "Hai, now watch this." The wood user formed a few seals and Naruto watched a moderately sized stone pillar rise from the ground. "What's that?"_

"_It's just some stone, sensei." Yamato's methods were… different._

"_Yes. Now, if we were to leave this stone and sapling here for an entire year, what do you think would happen?"_

"_Yaaamato-senseeeeiiiii… we're not learning any jutsu! We're-"_

_Naruto was silenced by a look from Yamato; deep, sunken eyes and creeping shadows screamed pain and suffering and the air chilled as the breeze whispered of nightmares and the monsters one might find under the bed. _

_It was the look… and it scared the hell out of Naruto._

"_I-I… I mean that the t-t-tree would grow!"_

_Naruto exhaled in relief as Yamato's face relaxed and happiness, hope, and light returned to the world._

"_Yes it would, Naruto. Care to take a guess as to why trees grow and stones don't?"_

"_Uhhh… trees are… alive?"_

"_Yes!" Yamato exclaimed, pointing towards the sapling, "it _is_ alive! And that simple little fact is what makes Mokuton so unique._

"_With any other form of element manipulation you alter your surroundings by moving earth, wind, and water or controlling fire and lightning. But with Mokuton, you create _life_, Naruto. This small tree in front of us has the potential to grow and live, it'll become home to birds, insects, and squirrels, it'll lose its leaves in the winter, shinobi will use it for training… and some day it will die._

"_You have been granted an incredible power, Naruto, a power that is usually reserved for God and the like… you have the power to create; an honor only ever granted to you, I, and Shodai-sama."_

_Naruto watched the tiny sapling shudder in the wind… was this what it was like to be God? The power to breathe things into life?_

_Naruto snapped back into reality when Yamato coughed into his hand. "Naruto," he began seriously, "It is imperative that you show respect for the gift you have been given; with your Mokuton jutsu you will create and manipulate life… use this power to protect those you love, use it to ensure their safety, use it to help those that cannot help themselves… and never, ever abuse it."_

_Naruto smiled as he began molding chakra. "Hai, Yamato-sensei."_

* * *

"MOKUTON NO JUTSU!"

Neji was forced to jump back when the ground around him splintered as a legion of scaly, black tree roots sprung forth and attempted to grab and subdue him. The crowd watched with bated breath as the young Hyuga continued to jump, dodge, and weave around the snaking roots that were intent on capturing him.

For something as exciting as a match involving the pride of the Hyuga clan and a hidden jutsu long thought lost by the general populace, there was very little cheering… or acknowledgement of any sort. The only noise was the booming and rustling as Naruto's roots slithered and slammed against the ground in their efforts to contain Neji.

What could they do?

What were they _supposed_ to do?

Cheer?

Shout in outrage?

Stare in abject horror?

What sort of reaction could do the situation justice!? The village "demon" was commanding Mother Nature herself to attack his opponent! How was it even possible that Uzumaki Naruto was using Senju Hashirama's long lost jutsu?

Down on the battlefield, one of the two participants was having a similar reaction.

"_How is this possible!?" _Neji wondered as he barely avoided a root that was wider then he was. _"This is not good; if Uzumaki can use Shodai-sama's Mokuton… what else is he capable of?"_

Neji quickly jumped over another black root and landed on another one that immediately began thrashing about in an attempt to throw him off. The genin quickly applied chakra to his feet and ran along the root's length while simultaneously drawing a trio of explosive tag kunai.

The Hyuga prodigy swiftly threw two of the kunai at the root currently chasing after him, smirking as he heard the telltale "thwack" of steel imbedding itself in wood. Neji placed his last kunai in his mouth before flying through a series of seals.

_Ram, Boar, Ox, Dog, Snake._

It happened in the blink of an eye.

The genius disappeared and was replaced by a twig that had once lain harmlessly next to Naruto's feet. The entire crowd gasped as Neji materialized next to his opponent and drove his kunai into Naruto's ribcage, before he shunshin'd away and reappeared at the opposite end of the stadium, hands clasped in the "ram" seal.

"KAI!"

The stadium shook as it was rocked by three simultaneous explosions and bits of wood went flying in every direction while smoke rose into the sky.

Neji caught an odd movement with his Byakugan and moved into a defensive stance as a projectile flew out of the smoke and rolled towards his feet.

Many shocked cries rang throughout the stands as Neji picked up what appeared to be the severed head of his opponent.

With a cautious hand, Neji removed the now charred mask… and instantly regretted his presumption.

As soon as the smoking cloth was removed, revealing a piece of wood sculpted into the likeness of a human head, a fist erupted from the ground and connected with his jaw.

The crowd began to breathe again once they saw Naruto emerge from the ground, miraculously uninjured. As soon as his feet touched the ground, Naruto flew through a set of seals and unleashed another jutsu on his still dazed opponent.

"Mokuton: Jibaku Eisou!"

It was a gruesome sight. The majority of Konoha's populace looked on in shame and fear as Uzumaki Naruto formed a sickly black tree by commanding the various roots he had created to spiral together around Neji. A few ashen and withered leaves fell lifelessly to the ground as numerous branches sprouted along the tree's trunk.

The citizens of Konohagakure had always possessed a unique appreciation for trees; after all, Senju Hashirama used his unique jutsu to create the very forest that protected and shielded the village from its enemies.

Trees were life, safety, and comfort.

But _this_… this was horribly perverse. Naruto was corrupting the very purity of Nature; they were once a symbol of loyalty and love, but the jinchuuriki had warped and twisted them into rotten tools of vengeance and hate.

It was sickening to behold.

In what appeared to be slow motion, the cracked bark near the tree's base began to close around its prey… ever so slowly the wood splintered off and attempted to entwine itself around the young Hyuga's limbs.

But it stopped. As a rather thick root attempted to coil itself around Neji's neck, it was halted by a glowing wall of chakra. Naruto was the only person in position to catch Neji's satisfied smirk before he picked up speed and his chakra wall quickly expanded.

"Kaiten!"

The tree exploded in a hail of splintered bark and shredded leaves when the force of Neji's Heavenly Spin violently repelled all that it came into contact with.

Acting quickly, Naruto flew through another set of seals.

"Yoton: Yoryuu Endan!"

The jinchuuriki exhaled and a molten dragon erupted from his mouth and shot off towards Neji. When the burning lava collided with his Kaiten, the Hyuga sped up his rotation and used the chakra sphere's momentum to sweep up the lava.

Naruto watched the newly formed rock with a wary eye; it was more likely than not that Neji was inside, unharmed, and plotting...

* * *

Neji was pissed.

Uzumaki Naruto was proving to be a far more challenging opponent than originally expected. Already the blonde genin had used two forms of element manipulation that Neji had never encountered before… in fact, he didn't even know of this mysterious "Yoton" that Naruto wielded. To make matters worse, he had been forced to reveal his Kaiten, a technique he was planning on saving for the Oto-nin that would soon be overrunning the stadium.

Neji sighed and calmed himself; years of training had taught him that letting your emotions run wild always led to disaster. After a few deep breaths, the young Hyuga reactivated his Byakugan and did a double take. His opponent was currently molding chakra for another jutsu. Neji's eyes followed the flow of chakra as it left his stomach and concentrated in the coils of Naruto's forearms.

Soon a cry of "Shoton: Suishou Tou," muffled by the cooled lava surrounding him, reached Neji's ears and he watched Naruto jerk in pain as a pair of blades emerged from his forearms. The older genin grimaced and made a mental note to avoid the crystal blades. Neji returned his attention to the twisted cylinder of rock that he was currently trapped in.

Gravity had prevented the lava from forming a complete sphere to encase him in, leaving enough room for Neji to jump out of his makeshift prison. The problem was that Naruto knew Neji had only one way out, thus making him an easy target.

Hyuga Neji took a deep, calming breath and placed his hands in the "ram" seal; he was going back to the basics.

"Bunshin no Jutsu."

Three identical copies of Neji poofed into existence inside the dome and took their positions. The original Neji used his Byakugan to ensure that Naruto was still pacing back and forth in front of the hardened structure.

Neji smirked and withdrew a pair of smoke bombs from his equipment pouch before he and his clones leapt up and out of the lava dome; as soon as they all cleared the narrow opening, Neji threw his smoke bombs down.

A thick plume of smoke shrouded the Hyuga as Naruto hurled a trio of kunai in his direction, striking a pair of bunshin and ending their existence. A third Neji emerged from the smoke and charged at Naruto, prompting the blonde to rear his arm back to strike at his opponent's head with his crystal blade.

Naruto blinked in surprise as the third Neji shimmered slightly and a hand shot through its stomach and struck a tenketsu near Naruto's right lung, causing the jinchuuriki to stumble backwards as he gasped for breath.

The final wisps of smoke finally lost themselves to the breeze, revealing a grinning Neji and a slouching Naruto struggling to breathe.

"Painful, isn't it Uzumaki?"

The hanyo clutched his chest in pain as another round of hacking coughs tore through him. "W-what the hell… d-did you do to me…"

"I have sealed off one of the tenketsu associated with your right lung, as time continues to pass breathing will become more difficult and every slow, ragged breath that you manage to draw will cause you a great deal of pain, Uzumaki.

"There are five tenketsu in the body that are known to cause agonizing pain when sealed, I suggest you quit before I show you the remaining four."

Naruto felt his left hand twitching as he continued to clutch his chest, every breath burning and stinging like thousands of white-hot needles. "Fuck you, asshole. I'm not gonna quit until I've made you pay for what you did to Hinata-chan… I won't stop till I beat you... i-in to the g-ground, Neji."

"Is that so, Uzumaki? Do you honestly think that using a slew of new jutsu will let you beat me? Surely the sorry condition you currently find yourself in is proof enough that whatever dojutsu that you are in possession of is not enough to defeat me.

"You cannot defy Fate, Uzumaki."

Naruto wheezed as he attempted to stand up straight… and failed. "Is that so, Neji? 'Fate' seems like the poor excuse of a narrow-minded fool too weak to take what he wants. No, it is far easier for a miserable bastard like you to go through life spouting about weakness and grumbling about Fate than to actually stand up and do something about your life! If you weren't such a complete _moron_, Hyuga Neji, then you'd realize that your life is what you make it.

"Sure, others will stand in your way and make life hard, but is that really an excuse to take out your shortcomings on others, people who have done nothing wrong to you in the first place?" Naruto managed to stand a little straighter and steel the quivering of his shaking hand, "It boils down to one thing, Neji. You are miserable fool who has long since given up control of his life to an invisible force beyond your comprehension…

"Hyuga Neji, you are a willing slave."

To Neji's credit, he didn't immediately snap… it was more of a gentle progression. First there was shock, shock that gradually led to frustration, followed by realization, that realization soon gave way to rage, and then… then Naruto saw it.

The Hyuga's eyes narrowed dangerously and they lost a great deal of their arrogant luster as they hardened and dimmed. Hyuga Neji's eyes spoke volumes, they were louder than any yell; Uzumaki Naruto looked into the cold eyes of his opponents and saw one thing…

_I'm going to kill you._

Then it happened. Before Naruto could move to defend, Neji shunshin'd out of sight and reappeared in front of Naruto before viciously driving two fingers into the jinchuuriki's neck, just below his hyoid bone. The stunned genin stumbled backwards, spluttering and clutching at his neck, but Neji quickly closed the gap between them and resumed his assault.

Naruto could barely attempt to raise his hands in defense before he once again felt the burning, needling sensation of having foreign chakra forced into him. Every muscle Neji struck burned and ached with strain as they spasmed and rebelled against the intruding chakra.

The assault lasted for what felt like an eternity for Naruto before Neji delivered a kick to the hanyo's midsection that forced him back a few feet.

Naruto gave a grunt of pain as he looked up, startled as he once again found himself face to face with Neji.

"Uzumaki Naruto, you are within my field of divination."

Behind his mask, Naruto's eyes widened as he realized his fatal mistake.

"Hakke Hyaku Nijuuhachi Shou!"

It was over in a matter of seconds, or it seemed to last an eternity, depending on who you asked. To the many spectators watching, it simply looked like Neji was pulling his blows as he lightly tapped his opponent with finger jabs, elbow thrusts, and multiple kicks. In a way it was mildly comical to watch the village demon jerk and spasm like a body being riddled with shuriken as the Hyuga seemingly attacked the air between them.

Naruto, however, wasn't looking from their perspective. No, from Naruto's point of view, time seemed to slow down to a crawl as he watched Neji's first two strikes sail forward and force chakra into the tenketsu near his stomach. The blonde soon felt his muscles spasm with dry heaves as Neji continued sealing of his chakra pathways, each gentle strike implanting foreign chakra that burned as it clogged up his tenketsu and prevented balanced chakra flow. Naruto suffered through a hundred and twenty-six more excruciating strikes before Neji finally relinquished his attack with a jaw-jarring kick that sent Naruto flying backwards before he came to a stop, sprawled out and twitching, at Genma's feet.

The senbon-chewing jonin looked down at the fallen jinchuuriki and winced; the Hyuga's Juuken was known well throughout the village for its graceful forms, efficient chakra use, and excruciating pain. Genma had just watched Uzumaki Naruto get schooled on all three of those principals by one of the village's best instructors, and, judging from the devastated mass of twitching limbs at his feet, it was a very unpleasant experience indeed.

His brain was overloaded with pain; every nerve was set aflame as Neji's chakra clogged his tenketsu, leaving Naruto feeling as if the cold Hyuga had simply driven thousands of white-hot needles into every cell of his being. Everything hurt, Naruto wanted to scream but his body was simply unable to act, he could not gain control of his facilities, he could not think of any way to escape his now desperate situation… Naruto's body was in shock, too abused to do anything except register the fact that it was in excruciating pain.

Neji slowly began his advance in order to deliver the final blow, Naruto's words still ringing in his ears and scraping against the back of his skull; the Hyuga genius was sorely regretting letting his masked opponent get the better of him with his petty taunts. Hyuga Neji wasn't an idiot, he knew that there were numerous Sound shinobi hidden in the crowd of spectators and he had just revealed to all of them his greatest weapon. The fact that Uzumaki had driven him to that point irked him more than anything… and it steeled his resolve to end the pestering genin's existence.

* * *

"**Why is it that you are incapable of completing even the **_**simplest**_** of tasks, boy? You vowed to avenge your mate, yet you have failed miserably. Tell me, what good is a weak mate that is incapable of protecting his kin?"**

"_You're not helping, asshole," _Naruto snapped as he desperately tried to climb to his feet.

"**You want help? Why should I help you, boy?"**

"_Because… if you don't Neji is probably going to kill me… you know what happens then, don't you?"_

The bijuu let out a roar of rage that shook Naruto's skull. **"Fine, boy. You want my help, then answer me this: what is the best method for clearing a clogged pipe? How would you best remove the obstruction?"**

Naruto managed to make it into a kneeling position. _"Uh… force the clog out?"_

"**How?"**

"_Um… force, power… wait… pressure?"_

"**Go on, boy."**

"_Pressure…"_ Naruto fervently wracked his brains as Neji drew ever closer, fingertips glowing with chakra. _"Wait… my chakra! You want me to force chakra through my canals to open my tenketsu!"_

"**Good… that didn't take nearly as long as I expected."**

Naruto chose to ignore Kyuubi's jab as he pondered a potential problem._ "Won't that hurt?"_

A bark of laughter was Naruto's answer as Kyuubi severed their link.

"I told you Fate could not be denied, Uzumaki. As soon as your name was paired with mine, you were doomed to failure… just as Hinata-sama will be destined for the Branch family after you die. Because of her weakness, she will have the cursed seal placed on her… I thought you should know that before you die." Neji said quietly as he watched Naruto struggle to lift himself out of his kneeling position.

The jinchuuriki managed to shakily make it to his feet; an impressive feat for anyone with more than half of their tenketsu sealed. "Is that so, Hyuga? Think you've won… already?" Naruto asked, each word taking mountains of effort to form.

"As I said earlier, Uzumaki, you lost the moment we were paired together… you just haven't realized it yet," Neji answered.

A dry chuckle escaped the masked ninja's lips, much to the confusion of his opponent. "Well let me tell you something, asshole," Naruto wheezed, "I made a promise to Hinata-chan, and if there's one good thing that can be said about Uzumaki Naruto… it's that he's loyal! And when I give my word to my friends, I mean it! Because that's my nindo… my ninja way!"

"Your impassioned words mean nothing to me, Uzumaki. A childish promise from the village idiot to a worthless kunoichi is as worthless as the parties involved in its conception. Hinata-sama has failed all her life, and you have failed today, now die!"

Neji's Byakugan blazed to life as he charged forward, intent on forcing enough chakra into Naruto's heart to make it rupture.

As the Hyuga genius drew closer Naruto willed his arms into action and quickly detached the crystal blades protruding from his forearms, using the momentum generated by his actions to send the two crystal shards flying towards the oncoming Hyuga; Neji's eyes widened in surprise as he twisted his torso out of the way, but he was unable to escape Naruto's second projectile as it imbedded itself deep into his thigh with a soft "thwack."

Hyuga Neji let out a sharp gasp of pain as Naruto's blade buried itself into his flesh. The injured genin turned to glare at his opponent, but was struck dumb by what his Byakugan saw; Naruto was forcing his chakra, blood-red and burning with intensity, though his entire body. Before Neji could react and turn off his Byakugan, he, and several other Hyuga watching from the stands were blinded as Naruto seemed to "explode" in a supernova of burning red chakra as he forced his chakra through his tenketsu, violently expelling Neji's foreign chakra from his system. Neji was violently thrown back by the sheer force of Naruto's power, sent flying towards the stadium's far wall as he felt the crystal shard in his leg shatter into a hundred tiny pieces that imbedded themselves in his flesh and tore through his muscles like they were nothing more than wet paper.

As if having your tenketsu sealed wasn't painful enough, forcing them open after the fact was even more excruciating. Naruto couldn't prevent a scream of pain from escaping his lips as he felt portions of his skin give way as chakra poured out of them. The jinchuuriki knew what the consequences of his actions were, and was not surprised to feel the familiar elongating of his canines and the burning sensation in his fingertips as his nails grew into claws. The hanyo felt the cloak of demonic chakra –his chakra– envelop him as the Kyuubi's angry haze settled over his brain, enhancing his senses, abilities, and emotions.

With a roar of anger, Naruto shot forward and drove his glowing red fist into Neji's jaw.

With a spray of blood, it began.

* * *

"Is she going to be alright?"

"Hai, Inuzuka-san. She just got overexcited and placed too much stress on her body. After she rests up, everything should be fine."

"Thank you, ma'am."

The medic-nin gave Kiba and Akamaru a kind smile before she departed to attend to her duties.

Alone with Hinata, Kiba turned to the bed-ridden girl. "Hey, Hinata, are you feeling better?"

The kunoichi gently nodded her head. "Hai, Kiba-kun. Thank you for bringing me to the infirmary."

Kiba grinned, showing off his canines. "Well somebody's gotta look after you when Naruto's not around," the teen looked down at the puppy tucked in his jacket and scratched his ear, "right, Akamaru?"

"Arf!"

Hinata smiled at the small ninken and bowed her head in thanks. "I'm sorry for making you miss the match, Kiba-kun…"

The Inuzuka waved off her apology. "Don't give it a second thought, Hinata; you're more important than watching Neji and Naruto smack each other around any day."

The Hyuga heiress hung her head, causing her eyes to disappear behind her bangs.

Internally, Kiba chided himself for his insensitive words. "Sorry…"

"N-no, it's o-okay, Kiba-kun. But… I was wondering if you could do something for me…"

"Name it."

The wounded girl smiled at her teammate's generosity. "Arigatou, Kiba-kun. I was hoping you could bring Naruto here after his match with Neji-niisan is over."

"Uh, sure thing, Hinata. I guess I'll just go wait in the participants' section… if that last burst of killing intent and chakra was any indication, then their match should almost be over." Kiba said as he walked out of the room, not at all looking forward to having to deal with an emotionally-charged Naruto.

Behind him, Hinata bit her lower lip as she prayed that both participants would be okay.

* * *

Neji was beginning to panic, no matter how much he willed his body to defend itself from Naruto's vicious strikes, it could never manage to move quite fast enough to intercept any of the enraged genin's blows. The blond simply moved and Neji felt a new source of pain sprout from his body, all the while Neji's Byakugan continued to zero in on the tenketsu Naruto had forcefully "opened"; the Hyuga noted the erratic chakra flow pulsing through them and the broken and bleeding skin where his own chakra had been ejected from Naruto's body.

Then there was his cloak.

Surrounding Naruto was a bloody cloak of crimson chakra that hurt to even look at; to a user of the Byakugan it was like staring into the sun itself. It only got brighter as Naruto closed in and prepared to deliver a powerful roundhouse kick to Neji's head–

There it was, Naruto had over-aimed his kick and provided Neji with his opening. Acting quickly, the older genin shifted back and grabbed Naruto's incoming foot and twisted with both hands, sending the jinchuuriki spiraling off to the side while Neji stumbled backwards from the momentum.

The two genin shakily resumed their stances, and Naruto's chakra thankfully receded.

Though the fiery substance was still billowing out from where Neji presumed his eyes to be.

"H-how…?"

The masked genin steadied a shaking hand before answering. "The same way you use your Kaiten; I just expelled chakra through my blocked tenketsu. The only difference is I don't have your control… so when I did it, the chakra actually broke the skin near the tenketsu."

Neji's eyes flicked towards the numerous holes that dotted Naruto's clothing and leaked blood, and he cursed his overzealous actions. Had he mastered his emotions and simply finished off his opponent rather than giving in to his illogical feelings and using the Hakke Hyaku Nijuuhachi Shou.

That mistake had put everything in jeopardy.

"It makes no difference, Uzumaki. One way or another, I will defeat you." Neji stated as he squared his stance.

"No, that's where you're wrong, Neji," Naruto answered as he held out his right hand, "It's over now. I'm going to cause you as much pain as you caused Hinata-hime."

Neji's eyes widened in fear as his Byakugan saw chakra shoot down Naruto's arm and coalesce into a brilliant sphere of condensed chakra. The object only spun faster as Naruto promptly charged him, aiming to ram the sphere into his chest.

"RASENGAN!"

Survival instincts kicked in.

"KAITEN!"

* * *

In the crowd, Hyuga Hiashi watched an orphaned genin use a jutsu not seen in Konohagakure no Sato in over twelve years. His Byakugan watched as the glowing mass of uncontrolled chakra that was Naruto charged at his only nephew. As the jinchuuriki neared Neji, a large sphere quickly encircled the desperate Hyuga as he rotated as fast as someone with a wounded leg could.

Hiashi's Byakugan picked up on the sluggishness of Neji's rotation; the Hyuga patriarch was not surprised to see it give an almighty waver when it came into contact with Naruto's Rasengan. As the two forces met and Neji was thrown backwards into the stadium wall, Hiashi tightened his grip on the scroll hidden in the sleeve of his robe.

"_I am sorry for the cruelties that have befallen you, Neji. Brother… where ever you are, I beg your forgiveness…"_

* * *

The Byakugan was a blessing, a fact that members of the Hyuga clan never forgot. The all-seeing eyes of the Hyuga clan were known far and wide throughout the Five Hidden Villages and there were plenty who would gladly go to war and destroy thousands of men, women, and children if it meant that they were the ones to wield such a great power. The Byakugan was even believed to be the predecessor to the Uchiha clan's Sharingan, although Hyuga didn't practice some of the Uchiha's more… archaic rituals.

The very thought of someone removing the Byakugan from a Hyuga had sent a shockwave of turmoil throughout the clan, the weaker members desperately needing protection and the strong… the strong discovered they needed control.

So the clan assembled at the Valley of the End, which, at the time, was only a river– Senju was a widespread clan without much power, the Uchiha didn't even exist, and the names Hashirama and Madara had yet to born into the earth– and a deal was made.

Hope, safety, and prosperity for the weak, and assurance, power, and leadership for the strong.

A seal was forged that would allow the leaders, now known as the Main Family, to ensure that the secrets of the Byakugan would forever be protected from outsiders, and the weak, from then on referred to as the Branch Family, would not have to fear attack from those who'd destroy them.

Slavery.

For awhile it worked, the Main Family was powerful enough to ensure the clan's safety and the Branch Family was able to ensure the clan's affairs ran smoothly throughout the day-to-day minutia.

But the cruelty that dwells in all men's hearts cannot be kept hidden forever, eventually a light will shine to expose it.

It was not long before a Main Family member attempted to force a young Branch female to submit to his desires, even though she had politely rejected his earlier advances.

"_And the world burns in its greed, lechery, and hate."_

In a fit of rage, the man attacked the woman and was defeated and killed by his victim. The next morning, the Branch members watched as the clan head used his chakra to activate the seal on the young woman's forehead until she was reduced into a drooling mass of convulsing limbs.

The clan's history scrolls grow confusing and obscure after the Schism. Most members only know that the following disputes were only solved when two brothers, one a newly elected emissary from the Senju clan with fists that could crush mountains and a spirit that soared higher than the bravest eagle, and the other, a man with strange eyes and powerful chakra that could blind a Hyuga if they looked too long with their Byakugan, visited the Hyuga.

Neji wasn't most Hyuga.

Years of meticulously studying the scrolls had shown Neji that the Hyuga politely rejected the Senju's offer of an alliance; Hyuga were proud and the clan was not about to become protectors for another batch of weaklings.

In reality, the Senju emissary had probably disagreed with allowing his people to be branded like the Branch Family.

The older of the two brothers, the man with the "mystical eyes," had seen how the weak were treated and offered them freedom.

The unexpected happened and the man left with several Branch members and they went to a secluded area and formed their own clan. In a twist of fate, the man took the young woman who was tortured for her "disobedience" as his wife. Unfortunately, when producing a child, the two dojutsu did not mix.

The Uchiha were born.

The lust for power, the enslavement, the torture, and the Schism. All of it was done for the Byakugan, that all-seeing dojutsu had spawned so much suffering.

"_The Byakugan is a curse."_

Neji had heard those words once while eavesdropping on a conversation between two of the Branch Family's council members.

Neji never thought the words to hold more truth as his "blessed" eyes took in every detail around him… as they watched his Kaiten waver when it came into contact with Naruto's Rasengan. His all-seeing eyes watched, in perfect clarity, as the two opposing forces battled, culminating in a grand explosion of chakra that burned away the bandages on his right arm before sending him, a moderately burned, chakra-exhausted Hyuga, flying backwards.

Neji idly noted that Naruto once again forced chakra through his tenketsu to produce a quick cloak of chakra to shield himself from the explosion.

Apparently having chakra rip through your skin was preferable to being blown away.

With devastating force, Neji felt himself slam into the stadium's wall, cracking it, before he slid down into a hunched over sitting position.

He had lost.

The pain that was currently radiating throughout his body told him so. The sheer force of the explosion had broken at least three ribs, his right arm was riddled with chakra burns, the angle at which he had hit the wall had most likely fractured his ulna, and his leg was still bleeding.

Neji glared as Naruto walked forward from the billowing smoke and stopped at his feet.

The jinchuriki was covered in tiny wounds that spoke of careless chakra use, his battle armor was charred and cracked, and part of his mask was singed away, revealing a single patch of burnt skin below his jaw.

With a grunt, Neji was quickly picked up and slammed against the wall, Naruto's hand fisted in the front of his tunic.

The proud Hyuga couldn't keep the tears from leaking out of his eyes as his Byakugan faded and he nodded in acceptance. All the pain, all the hate… it was about to be done with. The shinobi standing before Neji had guaranteed victory, and now he was going to make good on that guarantee.

Neji was going to be free.

"Do it," Neji whispered as another salty tear burned its way down his dirt-covered cheek.

Naruto raised his fist as it was sheathed in crimson glow. "You tried to kill Hinata-chan, you hurt her!" Naruto growled.

The Hyuga couldn't help but glare. "I did! I _despise_ the Main Family and all that they've wrought. They are nothing but a pack of slave masters who use their curse seal to keep the rest of the clan in their place.

"And the greatest irony is that Hinata-sama, the weakest of all the Hyuga, was handed the opportunity to inherit it all…

"She is WEAK!" Neji screamed, no longer able to keep a firm grip on his emotions. "Everything in life has been and will be handed to her on a silver platter, and she responds by failing at everything! She can do nothing right, and yet she remains free.

"All my life I have strived to better myself and rise throughout the ranks of my clan, and I have been denied EVERYTHING! The seal branded on my forehead will never allow me my freedom, my fate was decided long before I was born, as was Hinata-sama's.

"Yours was too, Uzumaki… now _do it_." Neji finally ground out as more tears streamed down his face.

It sounded almost as if he was begging.

Naruto struggled to stop his raised fist from trembling. _"I hate him so much… he isn't sorry at all! I'm sorry, Hinata-chan… please forgive me."_

"_**Hmmm… perhaps I can use this to my advantage…" **_**"Yes… do it, boy. Show this pathetic whelp the price for touching your female. Prove to **_**Hinata-chan**_** that you can protect her. Show this worthless village what happens to those who oppose the Kyuubi, and become the demon they **_**fear**_**…"**

Naruto could feel his heart thundering in his chest, he felt the sweat collect on his brow and get soaked up by the material of his mask, and he could feel the desire in his heart to kill the person who had caused _his_ Hinata-chan so much pain.

"**Kill him."**

"_I-"_

"**Do it, make him **_**pay**_**…"**

"_But-"_

"**Now!"**

Neji whispered a few words of prayer, not really believing they would reach his father.

But it was worth a try.

"What are you waiting for, Uzumaki? Do it! End it, fulfill your vow and finish me…" Neji's voice cracked and his next words came out as tortured whisper.

"Please… just kill me… please…"

Naruto steeled himself and gathered his chakra.

Neji glared at him, loathing in his eyes. "DO IT!"

A scream tore its way from Naruto's throat as he slammed his glowing hand into Neji's head.

* * *

"Sasuke, go down and make sure Naruto is alright," Kakashi ordered as he watched the medic-nin on duty carry Neji off the field.

"Hn." Was all the affirmation the Uchiha offered as he shunshin'd to the bottom of the staircase that lead from to the battleground.

Sasuke watched as Naruto slowly hobbled over to him, his wounds already being knitted back together by Kyuubi's chakra. "You over did it, dobe."

"Please," Naruto hated how weak he sounded, "not now, Sasuke."

"Hn."

"Did Kakashi-sensei send you?"

"Yes, I suggest you report to him before doing anything else; he's waiting in the participants' box." Sasuke relayed while Naruto watched the three tomoe in his eyes rotate lazily.

"Alright…"

Sasuke nodded and began walking out onto the field, an earsplitting torrent of cheers shaking the stadium as the last Uchiha prepared for combat.

Naruto snorted and began walking up the stairs. _"No one cheered for me… assholes."_

As the victorious jinchuuriki made his way up another flight of stairs, a terror-filled scream rang out and the scent of fresh blood soon flooded Naruto's nostrils.

Preparing for the worst, Naruto withdrew a kunai and cautiously climbed up the last few flights of stairs…

…only to wind up face to face with none other than Sabaku no Gaara.

The blonde put his kunai away, slowly. The smile on Gaara's face was anything but comforting as Naruto watched a few remaining grains of crimson-stained sand slither back into Gaara's gourd.

"Please tell me they weren't Leaf shinobi…"

Gaara gave a dry chuckle. "No, Naruto. Some vermin attempted to pester me before my match with Uchiha-san.

"I exterminated them."

It was all the explanation Naruto received before Gaara continued his journey down the stairs, the smile never leaving his face.

Naruto sighed and continued onwards to the participants' box, the stench of blood weighing heavily in the air. When he finally arrived, he found Gaara's siblings standing of in their own little corner, Shino gazing soundlessly toward the battlefield, Shikamaru staring lovingly at his precious clouds, and Kakashi reading his favorite book.

"Congratulations, Naruto," Kakashi greeted as he turned a page.

"Thanks, sensei."

"I hope you understand the ramifications of what you've done today; you have almost certainly made an enemy of the Hyuga clan." Kakashi said in a tone one would use when discussing the weather.

"I know, sensei…" Naruto muttered as he turned towards the field.

Kakashi sighed as he turned another page. "I'd advise you to sleep with one eye open from now on…"

Before naruto could reply a gray and brown blur burst into the room, panting and out of breath.

"Naruto!"

The blonde quirked an eyebrow behind his mask. "Kiba?"

The Inuzuka took a few seconds to compose himself. "It's Hinata! She's in the infirmary, during…" Kiba's explanation died off as he felt the killing intent radiating off the blonde as he stalked forward.

"What happened." It wasn't a question.

"Uh… she got upset during your match–" Kiba winced as Naruto put a glowing fist through the wall. "–and she started coughing up blood –she's fine now! But… she asked for you to–"

Kiba was cut off as Naruto shunshin'd away in a cloud of red chakra.

* * *

Hinata sat up when she saw the door to her room crack open, revealing a battle-weary Naruto.

"Naruto-kun…"

Her boyfriend limped over, his tattered coat flapping limply behind him, and took a seat in the chair next to her bed. He slowly reached over and took her soft hand in his. Hinata took in his appearance, checking for serious injuries, but she found nothing except numerous holes perforating his clothing and a few dried blood stains.

Her gaze found its way to the bracer she had given him; he wore it under his left armguard.

It too was covered in tiny holes.

"I'm sorry that I ruined the bracer…"

"W-what?" Hinata asked, confused.

"The bracer. I wanted to wear it… you know, for luck. But it got r-ruined in the fight… I-I'm sorry, Hinata-chan. It was the first gift anyone had ever given me and I ruined it… I'm s-sorry…" Naruto mumbled as he buried his head in Hinata's lap and continued to sob.

Hinata whispered sweet nothings as she stroked the fine material that covered Naruto's head from view. "It's o-okay, Naruto-kun. All I care about is that you're s-safe. That's enough for n-now…"

"I… I didn't kill him…"

The Hyuga heiress exhaled in relief. "I knew you wouldn't, Naruto-kun. You're not a monster… y-you're not a k-killer…"

Her words did not have the desired effect. Instead, Naruto pulled away and hung his head in shame.

"But I _wanted_ to… when I thought about everything he did to you, I wanted to hurt Neji, I wanted him to _suffer_…

"But then I thought about what you'd want… and I knew you'd never look at me the same… I knew you'd be heartbroken and disappointed…"

Hinata smiled as she intertwined her fingers with Naruto's. "That's what makes you different, Naruto-kun. Your compassion makes you human… It's one of the countless reasons that I love you."

Naruto sniffed and pulled her into a loving hug. "I love you, Hina-hime. Never ever forget that I love you more than anything else."

Hinata couldn't stop a single tear from escaping as she reached to pull off Naruto's mask and plant a kiss on his lips. She was surprised when his hand stopped hers.

"I think it's best if I keep this on, Hinata-chan… I've released too much chakra… it changes me."

Hinata swallowed as she pushed her hand forward, Naruto's dropped down as he steeled his emotions for her reaction, and gently removed his mask. She ignored his extended canines that cut into his lower lip, she didn't care about his crimson eyes that glowed intensely in their sea of black, she just stroked the darkened and expanded whisker marks lovingly as she leaned forward and pressed her lips to his.

"I love you, Naruto-kun."

As Naruto opened his mouth to reply, he felt a huge wave of chakra expand and envelope the stadium. He looked at Hinata and saw she understood.

The invasion had begun.

Naruto sighed as he stood. "Stay safe, Hinata-chan. I'll come find you when this is all over."

Hinata nodded. "Be safe, Naruto-kun…" She added as he closed the door behind him. _"Please come back to me…"_

Naruto withdrew a cigarette and lit it, exhaling the calming smoke before he turned to the genin standing outside the door. "I'm sorry for losing my temper earlier, Kiba. I was worried."

The Inuzuka started at Naruto's demonic experience, but quickly schooled his features into a lopsided grin. "I understand, Naruto. An alpha's gotta look after his pack, and she's your mate."

Naruto nodded, he somewhat admired the Inuzuka "pack-mentality." "Thanks, Kiba. But there's something I need to ask of you–"

"I'll guard her with my life, Naruto. You have my word."

The Kyuubi contained nodded in appreciation. "Thank you."

"No problem," Kiba replied as he and Akamaru entered Hinata's room.

With one problem taken care of, Naruto continued on his way to the outside, wisps of smoke trailing behind him.

* * *

As soon as the cascade of feathers began to rain down, Anko and Nikushimi threw a hail of kunai at the ANBU they knew was Yakushi Kabuto in disguise.

Their mission parameters were clear: he had to die for betraying Konoha.

Their kunai imbedded themselves in the wall as streams of Oto-nin jumped out of the crowd and began heading to the field where Gaara and Sasuke were currently fighting, Kabuto nowhere in sight.

Nikushimi scanned around for his target, seasoned eyes soaking up every detail, until a shout from Anko snapped his attention towards her.

"Ni-kun! Look out!"

A wet gurgle was his reply as the young chunin felt the sting of cold steel.

Looking down, Nikushimi saw the bloody tip of Kabuto's pilfered katana protruding from his chest.

The traitor had used a kawarimi– the oldest trick in a shinobi's arsenal.

* * *

**Jutsu List:**

**Raizou-shunshin-** Thunderbolt Body Flicker

**Akuma-shunshin- **Demonic Body Flicker

**Mokuton no Jutsu- **Wood Release Technique

**Mokuton: Jibaku Eisou- **Wood Release: Binding Nest

**Hakkeshou Kaiten- **Eight Trigrams Palms Heavenly Spin

**Yoton: Yoryuu Endan- **Lava Release: Lava Dragon Missile

**Shoton: Suishou Tou- **Crystal Release: Jade Crystal Blade

**Bunshin no Jutsu- **Clone Technique

**Hakke Hyaku Nijuuhachi Shou- **Eight Trigrams One Hundred Twenty-Eight Palms

**A/N:** Firstly, thank you to all my readers. Last chapter we passed the 30,000 hit mark, as well as the 100 review mark. Thank all of you for your continued support of this fiction. I hope you continue to review with your words of encouragement.

Now, for the usual. I hope the fighting was satisfactory; I tried to stress the fact that it wasn't going to be a one-sided fight. Naruto was stronger, but he let his emotions distract him. Ironically, it was Neji who lost because of that very fact. As for Neji using the Eight Trigrams 128 palms, I read that it is simply the 64 version but at twice the speed and with twice as many strikes. Naruto's mistake was when he threatened Neji after he brought Hinata home in Chapter 4. He encouraged the frustrated Hyuga to take him a bit more seriously.

I believe that was the most important thing to justify, anything else would ruin a few plot points that are still ongoing, so I'll finish by saying that this chapter was originally titled "The Bird and the Worm." But I changed it to, what I believe, is one better fitting to this chapter's events. Next chapter will cover the many battles and the first half of the Orochimaru/Sarutobi fight. The one after it will be the invasion's conclusion.

See you guys next time: **Chapter 9: "Scream. Aim. Fire."**

**-Andrew**


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